BPDD Attendee Review

The BP Discovery Day (BPDD) was a fantastic experience. The whole day was filled with exciting activities, presentations from seniors and recent graduates alike, and excursions around the BP ICBT facility in Sunbury, UK.

The staff was extremely kind and welcoming. Our main guide was very friendly and open to conversation at any time. The workers who ate with us for lunch were also very open to conversations, helping with the miniscule anxiety I got to such high-ranked and important professionals.

The main organizer of the event was very helpful in answering a variety of questions. The organizer also taught the attendees useful skills when applying for an internship, like the STARS system for answering questions, or the effects of body posture on the recruiter's opinion of the applying candidate.

BPDD not only focused on developing skills for applying for a positions, but also gave a brief but very insightful run through the basics of oil and gas exploration and production ( E&P), the geology behind oil reservoirs ( a.k.a. the different structural and stratigraphic traps, reservoir and source rocks etc.) and the different enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods used to extract the oil.

The insight was extremely well organized. Our main organizer was effective in keeping a calm and pleasant environment, whilst simultaneously keeping the group of attendees moving through the different activities at a precise time. When exiting the classroom to explore the facilities or meet staff members, the BP workers were always ready on time to present their work and/or themselves, and were always open to questions. The only issue, though very minor, was that there weren't enough snack/toilet breaks, but I think that for 1 day all the attendees can bare this nuisance.

The atmosphere was very welcoming and calm. All the workers have commented how BP feels more like a community than a company. This distinction was clearly felt. It seemed as if the low oil prices haven't affected anyone's mood in the ICBT. The main organizer was very delightful and friendly, whilst at the same time treating the young attendees (all 1st or 2nd year students) as individuals equal to herself. All in all, this day went by in no-time and was a fantastic experience for a 1st year student like me. BPDD opened me to a new perspective on not only BP, but the energy industry itself.

They invested heavily in the attendees. This was felt not only through the countless brochures, merchandise, and free food offered at the snack bars, but also through BP's initiative to pay off all transportation expenses to and from their site, as well as hotel accommodation for those travelling more than 3 hours to the location.

It was very helpful in giving me insight into BP specifically. Whilst I didn't get the chance to ever see the other offices BP has across the world, I can now safety say that their Sunbury office provides BP's staff with the highest level of safety, comfort, and accessibility to needed facilities.

During the insight, I met recent graduates, senior specialists, researchers, geoscientists, reservoir and petroleum engineers. All of these workers from the different sectors of the company made it clear that the one thing BP offers that other oil majors don't (or at least don't to such an extent) is the feeling of a community. As all the staff noted, BP's working environment is less stressful because of that sense of community.

This insight didn't change my career path as I was already aiming for the energy industry prior to the event.

The BP Discovery Day attendees will receive a reimbursement form by email from the main organizer. They will need to have some of their banking information (IBAN number), as well as all their receipts from their spendings in order to file for reimbursement.

Yes. We got several presentations from a senior Petroleum Engineer, as well as 3 recent graduates from the BP Early Experience Programme, during which we were able to ask any questions we'd like. Additionally, we had lunch with around 20-30 staff members, where we could talk to any of them.

The networking opportunities were great. In fact, the main organizer of the event may be the most important networking connection you'll get at the event. My main organizer was also a recruiter and, therefore, an important contact for me when I apply for internship positions.

Not really, but that is probably because I never made the initiative to ask. I'm sure if I've asked the employees would be more than likely to talk about their outside-of-work life.

Definitely! This insight provides attendees with TONS of useful information, especially about the application process to BP.