Oil and gas'so hot right now. And for good reason: It's an industry that is growing despite rough economic climes'in fact, by 2030, the industry's expected to double its production. Canadian Business, for its part, rated petroleum engineering as Canada's fastest-growing job'and the position's median salary was a whopping $90,000. And, according to Gasbuddy, Calgary alone is expected to create 100,000 oil-related jobs in the next eight years.

So, why wouldn't employees flock to the industry? Jobs in oil and gas are plentiful, pay incredibly, and have excellent long-term potential. Still, these things are irrelevant if it sucks working for the major players'but fortunately, it doesn't. We asked Dan Rock, recruitment manager for Imperial Oil, to explain to us why working in his industry rules. Read on.

1. Companies like Imperial Oil set you up for success.

On-the-job training is crucial for success, yet many tight-belted industries have axed their training programs'and their new employees' chances of success. Not so for Imperial Oil.

"We set you up for success, whether it's technical training, core competency training, on the job training, or mentoring and networking opportunities," says Rock. "We cater training to your position, and provide significant learning through job rotations'it's about providing development opportunities for continual development." 

Translation: Imperial Oil gives you the tools required to succeed. And in the process, you'll never be bored.

2. You can pursue'and change'your career goals within the industry.

We're a finicky generation, and some studies believe Millenials will change jobs 17 times over the course of our careers. We're an ambitious bunch, but there are also downsides: Every career change can require more education, internships, or both. And that can be expensive (and energy-draining).

Yet with large companies like Imperial Oil, it's possible to pursue plenty of different job opportunities or career paths within the same company.  "When we recruit, our slogan is that we're the employer of choices," says Rock, noting that an engineer, for example, may cross into the corporate world during their career. "We have over 130 years of experience in the business, and we're one of Canada's largest corporations. This, combined with our relationship with majority shareholder ExxonMobil, the world's leading energy provider, provides abundant opportunity. So, we say, 'Come to us, and explore the many available opportunities and career paths.' We function as an entire industry within a company, and can provide the exciting future you're looking for."

3. There's travel opportunities galore.

I love to travel. For work. For play. For anything, really. Most Millenials feel the same way'70 per cent of us say we want to see every continent, and according to Concur, a travel blog, most of us want to travel as part of a "life-work smoothie." 

But who's going to offer travel perks? Companies like Imperial Oil. 

"The expectation is that employees will be flexible and mobile," says Rock. "During your career, you may have opportunity to work at and travel to various sites across the country and potentially globally. Employees may be required to travel for training, business meetings, project work, best-practice sharing, or a short term assignment."

4. They're actually looking to hire fresh grads.

Books like Ross Perlin's Intern Nation argue that many industries'not to name names'are getting rid of entry-level positions in favour of cheap, or free, internships. It sucks. And it's a reality that, by our calculations, a full 100 per cent of fresh grads understand. Yet one industry that is hiring young people is'you guessed it'the oil and gas industry.

"We consider people our greatest resource, so at Imperial, we want to look for the brightest and the best," says Rock. "Each year we go to campuses to find bright, keen students. We want them to demonstrate and show that they're prepared for a future with us, but then, the challenge is ours to provide them with the resources, skills and training to be our next generation of leaders'both within the organization and within the industry."

So, we ask Rock, you're hiring then? "Campus hiring at universities and colleges is a huge focus of our recruitment efforts. We hire more than 100 university grads alone each year."

5. Get paid.

Because let's be honest: Being compensated fairly is, as Clipse might say, kinda like a big deal. "We're benchmarked against major Canadian companies to ensure that our total employment offer is extremely competitive," says Rock.

Explain, we say. "There's a growing demand for skilled labour, but it's not only about a salary range. There's opportunity: We have long-term exciting career opportunities, comprehensive training and development, valuable benefits packages and pension and savings plans, and additional incentives that all contribute to the entire offer."

See all jobs from Imperial Oil here.

Photos: insagostudio/Thinkstock