The PESGB YPs in Aberdeen recently held a soft skills and networking event, organised in collaboration with the young professional branches of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (iMechE), the Institute of Chemical Engineers (iChemE), the Energy Institute (EI) and the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).

It promised to be a rewarding evening and did not disappoint. Willie MacColl, a People Specialist with Re:markable, began by asking the room of 65 geoscientists and engineers which soft skills they believed to be most important to effectively perform their roles at work. Participants were also asked to consider the top soft skills they most admired amongst their colleagues, and to think about how your perception of yourself may differ to other people’s perception of you. Willie then talked through his top ten soft skills, including communication, adaptability, problem solving and self- confidence, and explained the importance of each one and how they will positively impact our performance at work. The talk was followed by a Q&A session, where advice was sought from Willie on a variety of subjects including how best to manage meetings, how to influence others and how to instil positivity within your teams.

The talk was followed by food and networking between the five societies. Thank you to Centrica E&P’s Energy Network for sponsoring and hosting a great event.