University of Oklahoma students enrolled in the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy are getting a leg up in the competitive job market. Resources provided by student organizations are helping students land jobs following graduation.

In the years following 2014, over 440,000 men and women were laid off in the industry downturn according to data collected by Graves & Co, a consulting firm for the oil and gas industry. This has resulted in a decrease in student morale throughout Mewbourne.

“The past couple years the job outlook hasn’t been great. So I think morale in the school itself has been down,” said Andrew Wiechman, a senior petroleum engineering major and outgoing president of the American Association of Drilling Engineers student chapter at OU.

To aid students, student groups like AADE and the Society of Petroleum Engineers organize “tech talks.” “Tech talks” are when companies in the oil and gas industry come talk to students about technology or techniques used in the industry.

These tech talks not only educate but also allow students to network and meet with professionals in the career path they plan to enter after college.

“At these tech talks, students have a chance to meet people who have years of experience, to meet people who are successful in what they are doing. Also, they have the chance to meet other students,” said Catalin Teodoriu, an associate professor and Drilling Simulation Center Director in the Petroleum and Geological Engineering Department at OU.