Creating Employment Opportunities

Our business activities and community investments have an impact on the growth and prosperity of the communities where we work. At Canadian Natural, we engage the local community across all of our operations to develop and promote local capacity and work with local and regional contractors to explore potential employment opportunities. We support training and employment initiatives that enable the continued development of local workforces near our operations so that we can train and employ people in the communities where we operate.

Supporting Trades and Employment Opportunities

Apprenticeship training is an important way to help prepare individuals for a career in the trades and we work closely with local colleges on skilled trades programs that are accessible and affordable for community members.

Training for careers in oil and natural gas

• Rig training facility

  The Trades Exposure Training Program from Northern Lights Public Schools is one of a kind in Canada. The training centre, located in Bonnyville, features a service rig training facility on a well and a scaffolding shop, where students can discover the trades and determine through hands-on work whether or not they’re interested in pursuing journeyman career paths. The project is a prime example of local organizations and community partners coming together to provide an innovative learning experience for the next generation of oil and natural gas workers in Alberta.

  Canadian Natural was instrumental in getting the well drilled, supplying personnel and equipment. So far, more than 240 students from Alberta and Saskatchewan high schools have completed the ‘Orientation to Service Rigs’ course and another 73 have participated in the oil rig training.

• Internships across Canadian Natural’s operations

  Through our partnership with ‘Careers: the Next Generation’, between 2014 and 2018 we offered internships to 57 high school students (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) who gained experience throughout our Alberta field operations in Grande Prairie, Fairview, Fort McMurray, Medicine Hat and Edson.

• Heavy equipment training program

  We also support the Lakeland Catholic School District’s heavy equipment training program, in partnership with Portage College. This dual credit program introduces students to electronics, hydraulics, brake systems, air brakes, and safety. Canadian Natural is providing support to acquire specialized training equipment so that the district can reduce program costs.

• Workshops for Indigenous youth

  Stakeholder Relations team members facilitated eight workforce development and life skill workshops for more than 85 participants at the Summer Student Employment program with Fort McKay First Nation and Fort McKay Métis peoples. The workshops focused on behavioural interviews, goal setting, social skills, self-confidence and work ethics.

• Work placement opportunities for students in our International operations

  Since 2014, we have awarded the Barbara Rae Access Scholarship through the Robert Gordon University Foundation in Aberdeen. Barbara Rae was a CNRI Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) team lead who died in service. To honour her memory, this access scholarship in her name supports students through their education in the face of financial hardship. As scholars progress in their education, they have the opportunity to gain work experience at CNRI and access to mentors who can offer guidance along the way.

  In 2018, CNRI launched a scholarship program in Côte d’Ivoire (CDI) providing financial support to two students for the duration of their university courses, with additional mentorship and placement opportunities in our Abidjan office. We are currently supporting nine new scholarships from 2018, and 19 ongoing undergraduate scholarship programs in the UK and CDI.

Our Employees

Our business depends on a diverse workforce of individuals who take pride in ‘working together’ and ‘doing it right’. In 2018, we employed more than 9,700 full-time employees.

In 2018, the employment created by our North American operations and through our capital investment program is equivalent to 83,710 person-years, including direct, indirect (suppliers) and induced (economy at large) employment. To learn more about the employment created by our Company, as well as additional benefits of our operations, visit our 2018 Stewardship Report to Stakeholders and our Economic Contributions section.

Hiring locally

At Canadian Natural, hiring and developing local people is one of our priorities. We do this through internal training and mentorship, which are essential to our culture. We believe that creating a workforce of empowered employees is essential to creating value, and therefore, developing people also means promoting people from within whenever possible.

At our Côte d’Ivoire (CDI) operations in Offshore Africa, for example, we work with the local community and the education system to develop local people. Canadian Natural Resources International employs 55 individuals in CDI, 54 of whom are Ivorian, including three members of the local management team.

To further support our recruiting goals, we participate in information sessions at universities, colleges and career fairs.

For more information on training initiatives to support employment creation, read our Education and Training section of our website.