Transitioning between roles in a transitioning industry: Hisham’s story

Born and raised in Teesside in the northeast of England, Hisham is proud of his heritage and has always been active in his local community. “I think it’s because of my upbringing, where we were always encouraged to try and give back,” he explains. 

Passionate about sharing the knowledge, support and advice he has received from those around him, Hisham feels that the values instilled in him at an early age have shaped his path in life.

A purposeful career path

It was the opportunity to start his career at the core of a business focused on supporting others that ultimately influenced Hisham’s decision to join bp on a full-time basis, having completed a summer internship at the company in 2016.

Hisham explains,

“I believe that we’re all very privileged to be working in this industry, where there are tremendous opportunities to give a little back whenever possible.” 

Joining the Wells Challenger Programme in 2017, Hisham moved between land and sea-based roles and focused his early career as a completion engineer for the Quad 204 and Clair Ridge Projects, a role in which he was responsible for designing, planning, and supervising offshore wells construction.

In Hisham’s eyes, it is this potential for personal growth and the wide range of professional opportunities on offer that make bp unique: “The reason I enjoy bp so much is that they give me the opportunity to explore all that I would like to do in a job,” he says.“The people that tend to get involved with these things have a good time at bp, because it gives you exposure to different sectors and roles.”

Hisham is passionate about encouraging social mobility and advocating for people from all walks of life. Alongside his day-to-day role, he is a One Young World Ambassador, an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and an active mentor. He has also acted as an early careers discipline lead for wells, supporting the business unit in its efforts to attract talent from a diverse range of backgrounds.  

An equitable future for the world’s energy system 

“Growing up as a second-generation immigrant, I was frequently told that simply working hard and giving it your all was enough to succeed,” Hisham says. “Concepts such as networking, self-advocacy and personal development were not really recognised or understood, and I had to work consciously to build these skills in my early career. I felt there was a distinct gap in comparison with some of my peers.”

Hisham recently made the move from Wells to People & Culture, where he is working as an education & employability advisor, a role in which he is focused on progressing social mobility and socioeconomic diversity and inclusion in the workforce.  

“The energy transition must be a just transition,” he explains. 

Hisham adds,

 “It’s extremely exciting to work at a business at the forefront of this transition.”