Alina Oprea • 26 September, 2023 at 9:09 AM
OMV Petrom, the largest integrated energy company in Southeast Europe, has allocated RON 1.5 million (€300,000) in 2023 to train a new generation of energy professionals. The company thus continues to support professional education in Romania, through the Petrolist School and Petrochemist School projects. Approximately 100 students will benefit from individual scholarships between RON 500 and 700 (€100-140) per month, updated course materials, and internships within the OMV Petrom company. In the last seven years, OMV Petrom supported projects in the field of professional education with RON 17.5 million (€3.5 million).
"Energy is essential to modern life, and we are dedicated to the mission of continuing to provide energy in all its forms. To meet this mission, we need young professionals who master the most modern technologies of today and, especially, those of tomorrow. We are happy to see that every year we have dozens of graduates from the Petrolist School who carry on the tradition of this vital sector of the economy. So far, almost a third of the graduates have become our colleagues at OMV Petrom", says Cristian Hubati, a member of the Directorate, responsible for the Exploration and Production activity of OMV Petrom.
The Oilers School project was initiated in 2016 and takes place in "Astra Pitești" Technological High School, "Grigore Cobălcescu" Technical College Moinești, and "Voievodul Mircea" Technological High School Târgoviște. Graduates obtain a European-recognized professional qualification and skills that allow them to be immediately employed.
"I was inspired by the experience of my grandfather, who was a surveyor, to choose the School of Petrolists. During the three years of study, I participated in many practical sessions that helped me easily learn a sought-after job, and now I can build a career with the OMV Petrom team", said Diana Negulescu, OMV Petrom employee, former student of Oilers' School.
The Petrochemists' School project started in the 2022-2023 school year in the Lazăr Edeleanu High School in Ploiești. Graduates receive, after 3 years of training, the petrochemical operator qualification, a qualification with tradition in Prahova County and which is required by companies in the field.
Students enrolled in the two programs participate in workshops dedicated to career development, such as communication, negotiation, entrepreneurship, teamwork, and others. During the practical internships, the entire learning process is facilitated by a mentor, an employee of OMV Petrom, and a teacher from the partner school involved in the project.
OMV Petrom is the largest energy company in South-Eastern Europe, with annual group crude oil and gas production of approximately 43 million boe in 2022. The Ministry of Energy owns 20.7% of the company's shares, and 21, 7% are owned by Romanian pension funds, to which are added almost 500,000 individual investors and other Romanian entities. OMV Aktiengesellschaft, one of Austria's largest listed industrial companies, owns 51.2% of OMV Petrom shares, with the remaining 6.4% owned by other foreign investors. 28.1% is freely traded on the Bucharest Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange.
OMV Petrom is the largest contributor to the state budget, with approximately €39 billion representing fees, taxes, and dividends paid between 2005 and 2022. During the same period, the company invested approximately €17 billion. In 2022, the taxes paid by OMV Petrom provided 7% of Romania's fiscal revenues.
Since 2007, OMV Petrom has integrated the principles of corporate responsibility into its business strategy. Between 2007 and 2022, the company allocated around €120 million for the development of communities in Romania, focusing on environmental protection, education, health, and local development.
On July 29, 2020, OMV Petrom announced its support for the recommendations issued by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), the Task Force for the publication of financial information related to climate change on the risks and opportunities associated with climate change. OMV Petrom reports annually on the progress made regarding the implementation of these recommendations