Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick
Discusses Importance of Women in Critical Energy Industry Roles
HOUSTON – Railroad Commission Chairman Christi Craddick today spoke to members of Women’s Energy Network (WEN) at their annual national conference in Houston, Energy Resilience: Refueling Innovation. WEN’s national conference brings together women from various industry disciplines to nurture professional connections among experts, increase knowledge and transform careers while maximizing contributions to industry advancements.
“While the energy sector has historically been viewed as a male-dominated industry, women have served in critical technical roles for generations,” Craddick said. “I am proud to say we are seeing more women out on rigs, on-site at refineries, and even in the board room where their perspective can have a greater impact on the industry’s future.”
According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2017 U.S. Energy and Employment Report, women represent a smaller percentage of the work force in energy-related sectors, ranging from 22 to 34 percent, than compared to the overall economy where women make up 47 percent of employees.
“The industry’s ebbs and flows have led to a labor shortage on top of an aging work force, pushing companies to cast a broader net for qualified employees,” Craddick said. “Bringing more women into the mix gives the industry a broader talent pool with which to meet challenges, and develop solutions for a fast-moving and innovative industry. At the end of the day, diversity in work force leads to better ideas and greater efficiency.”
WEN serves more than 4,000 members through programs that foster career and leadership development of professional women working in the energy industry.