As a young girl traveling in rural Oklahoma to visit well sites with my father, little did I know my path would come full circle and land me a job I love in the oil and gas industry. At the time, there weren't a lot of female faces around that made the prospect look possible.
Fortunately, my upbringing allowed me to see unlimited possibilities despite the narrow career options of women in the 1950s and '60s. My father, an independent oilman and geologist, gave me my first oil-and-gas lessons on those dusty roads. He understood the importance of teaching me about the industry, and he never placed any restrictions on my aspirations.
Today, I'm encouraged by the rapidly growing number of women in leadership roles in the energy industry. Thanks to forward-thinking individuals like my father, women are making a significant impact in this field.
Women in executive leadership positions have been more visible in the technology and nonprofit sectors over the past decade, yet it's worth taking notice of the growth of female representation in oil and gas, as well.
In the first three months of 2013, women represented 46 percent of the new hires in the oil and gas industry. Many of these jobs represent positions reserved for engineers, geologists and technicians. Although more than 80 percent of industry positions still are held by men, the increase of female presence and opportunity is significant.
Many attribute this rise of women in oil and gas to the industry's competitive salaries. The national average annual salary for exploration and production jobs is $96,844, or about $47 per hour. That is more than double the average annual salary for all occupations, according to the American Petroleum Institute.
Others see the recent upturn as a product of the already large number of women involved in science-based industries. I would argue there are far more holistic reasons for women joining the industry besides competitive pay and an interest in science. There's deep personal satisfaction that comes from breaking barriers and creating a legacy.
I'm not the only female who has joined this line of work as a result of my family background and heritage. There is something intrinsic about continuing the legacy of past generations. Every day, I consider it a privilege to embrace the years of labor my father put into this line of work and the knowledge he instilled in me to move the industry further than ever imagined.
Retaining our heritage is more than an Oklahoma value; it is the backbone of what has made this state great. But a heritage is sustained only with effort by the current generation to instill the legacy into today's youth.
Just as a young man born in Silicon Valley has a greater chance of working in today's technology industry, every young woman born in Oklahoma is uniquely positioned to be the region's next energy leader. The tools are all around us, and the resources are under our feet.
All that's left for us to do is help our daughters, granddaughters, nieces, sisters and friends see the unlimited possibilities. With an open road ahead, nothing can stop them from being the force that keeps America moving forward.
Marcia MacLeod is the senior vice president of Human Resources and Administration at WPX Energy.
Original Print Headline: Unlimited possibilities for women in energy
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