WPC Young Professionals

Some of the qualities young people offer, such as active thinking, sensitivity to new issues and their powerful innovative potential, are vitally important to the future of the petroleum industry.

Members of the WPC YP Committee at their annual meeting in 2018 in Astana

The World Petroleum Council, aware of the importance of providing young professionals and students with the significant role they deserve, launched the 1st WPC Youth Forum in China in 2004, the first activity in which young people played a leading role in the WPC's 80-year history.

This event was held in Beijing from 17-20 October 2004 under the theme "Youth and Innovation – the Future of the Petroleum Industry". The Forum was an overwhelming success and won widespread acclaim from its participants. Since then, young professionals and students have been on the World Petroleum Council's agenda as one of its most significant, foremost topics, laying the foundations for international exchange and cooperation in the future.

WPC Youth Committee Launched in 2006

In 2006 the WPC created the first WPC Youth Committee and in January 2007 seventeen members nominated by their WPC National Committees met in Madrid to lay the foundations of the World Petroleum Council's Youth Committee. The Committee was renamed as WPC Young Professionals in 2015 and the members base their activities on the following principals:

Mission

• To create and nurture a collaborative, global forum for young people to be heard
• To champion new ideas within the petroleum industry
• To promote a realistic image of the petroleum industry, its challenges and opportunities
• To bridge the generation gap through mentorship networks

Vision Statement

Shaping the global energy future by bringing together the passion and talents of industry students, young professionals and emerging leaders.

Guided by our core values and commitment to sustainable energy we provide a platform for inclusive dialogue about current energy challenges, seeking to build an energy future that will benefit our generation and those to come.

Values

• Leadership
• Diversity
• Participation
• Sustainability
• Transparency
• Excellence

The Young Professionals Committee actively contributes to the triennal World Petroleum Congress and plays a crucial role by putting together a wide range of interesting youth activities.

Young professionals and students interested in actively participating in the oil and gas industry, have a space to do so at the Youth Lounge where they are able to exchange their opinions, meet other professionals from the industry and share viewpoints with senior representatives of the petroleum sector and top executives from the world's leading oil and gas companies.

They also have an opportunity to voice their interests and provide their perspective of the industry at the WPC Youth Forums.

History of the WPC Youth Forum 

6th WPC Youth Forum

The 6th WPC Youth Forum - 6th WPC Youth Forum: Future Leaders Forum took place from 23-28 June 2019.   

5th WPC Youth Forum

The Future Leaders Forum took place alongside the Rio Oil and Gas Show, one of the largest industry events in the world, from the 26-27 October 2016.

4th WPC Youth Forum

In 2013 the 4th WPC Youth Forum was hosted in Calgary, Canada. It was organised entirely by young people who selected the theme of "Unconventional Solutions for an Unconventional World" for the event which attracted nearly 1600 participants from around the world. http://wpccanada.com/about/4th-wpc-youth-forum-in-calgary/

China launched the idea in 2004 with the 1st WPC Youth Forum in Beijing showcasing the excellence of the next generation in the industry. The 2^nd WPC Youth Forum was held from 18-20 November 2009 in Paris.  Under the theme of “Energize your Future” it provided an innovative approach to the challenges and opportunities facing the oil and gas industry. In November 2010 WPC hosted the 3^rd WPC Youth Forum in New Delhi.  Over 500 young people under 35 participated at the event and in the online discussions and competitions at www.fueltheyouth.com where the best teams and individuals competed for prizes of up to $5,000 each and a trip to India.

The WPC Youth Committee encourages all member countries to actively promote and involve young people in their activities and leadership, be it by nominating a youth from their country to join the National Committee or by forming a their own national Youth Committee to engage with young people in their companies and their country on an ongoing basis.

For more information and to contact us, please send an email to: wpcsecretariat@world-petroleum.org

Report of the WPC Youth Activities at the Madrid Congress in 2008

Corporate Knights – The Canadian Magazine for Responsible Business
Written by Leor Rotchild WPC Canadian Youth Committee Member, April 2009 - "Extreme Makeover"