Next-generation drilling industry professionals are a precious resource. At trade shows and in contractors’ offices, veterans talk a lot about the skills gap and the greying of the industry. Demo events, like one National Driller attended recently in Flint, Mich., can help.
The demo was part of one of two six-week summer Hydrogeology Field Courses offered by Western Michigan University (WMU). The program, developed in 1987, give students the opportunity to see, hear and touch aspects of drilling they might not otherwise get exposure to. The Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences accepts students in different disciplines — including geology and hydrogeology — from around the nation. They study aquifer testing, groundwater sampling and monitoring, and remediation.