Huayun Lecture Series (Episode 26)

On May 29th, Episode 26 of Huayun Lecture Series was held in Conference Room A121 of the Engineering Building. Wang Feng, Deputy Chief Economist of Sinopec Qingdao Refining & Chemical Company, Head of the Party Organization Department, Manager of the Enterprise Resources Department, and a 1994 alumnus of our university's Chemical Engineering major in the Refining Department, returned to his alma mater to deliver a special report titled "Willing to Be a Ladder, Cultivating Talent with Precision—Career Choices for Energy Industry Professionals" for students of our college.

During the lecture, alumnus Wang Feng drew upon his extensive experience in organizational leadership and human resource management, as well as his professional practice at Sinopec, to provide an in-depth analysis of talent demands and career development paths in the current energy industry landscape. Addressing the prevailing trend of graduates pursuing government and state-sector jobs ("exam-for-stable-jobs fever"), Wang cited his three-year experience aiding Qinghai Province, for which he received the "Outstanding Contribution Award for Qinghai Aid," to emphasize that career security does not solely stem from institutional employment. He pointed out that the energy industry is undergoing a critical transition toward green and low-carbon development, with cutting-edge fields such as hydrogen energy, carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), and bio-aviation fuel offering vast opportunities for talent growth. Encouraging students to focus on three long-term development dimensions—"skill advancement, a sense of value creation, and industry vitality"—he advised them to seek platforms where they can actively engage in the energy transformation and translate knowledge into real-world impact. He also highlighted that entrepreneurship in the industrial sector remains a vital career path for petroleum professionals.

Wang Feng elaborated on the talent competency model from the perspective of a central state-owned enterprise (SOE). Citing the exemplary deeds of Academician Min Enze, known as the "Father of Chinese Catalysts," he emphasized that value alignment and loyalty form the foundation of career development. Through stories of outstanding alumni like Xi Xiuhai and Yu Qun, who dedicated themselves to grassroots work, he illustrated the importance of steadfast commitment and deep expertise. Drawing on Qingdao's practice in building the "Oriental Hydrogen City," he analyzed ten key technological trends, including catalytic cracking and high-end polyolefins, highlighting innovation as the key to breaking through industry bottlenecks. Additionally, he proposed an "IQ/EQ/AQ" three-dimensional growth model, underscoring the synergy between individual capability, organizational cultivation, and teamwork.

To the soon-to-graduate students, Wang Feng offered concrete advice: First, forge solid professional competencies to develop a "diamond-hard expertise." Second, achieve a "soft landing" from campus to the workplace by cultivating a sense of responsibility, communication skills, and teamwork awareness. Third, strengthen psychological resilience to proactively tackle challenges. Fourth, leverage campus network resources to lay a solid foundation for future career development.

During the interactive session, student Mei Guodong from the 2021 batch of the undergraduate program raised a question: "How can one balance the deepening of professional skills with the cultivation of emotional intelligence?" Wang Feng responded with the advanced theory of "talent - personnel - human resources": "Central enterprises need 'self-luminous' multi-skilled talents. Professional ability is the foundation for survival, while emotional intelligence is the 'catalyst' that turns knowledge into value. The two are like the two wheels of a car, indispensable to each other." His insightful answer resonated with the teachers and students present.

At the end of the lecture, Wang Feng expressed his heartfelt words to the students: "The value of oil lies in its combustion, while your value lies in making this combustion more intelligent and visionary." This concluding statement, full of the sense of mission of the oil industry, pointed out the direction for the career journey of the new generation of energy professionals.