Will computer and automation technology make people-less refineries more prevalent?
Viewing a refinery's total operational scope—from management, planners, supervisors, process engineers and operators to maintenance and inspection as well as utilities and offsite resources—a people-less refinery is a long, long way off.  However, a refinery's physical assets like computers and automation will continue to change the requirements for human assets both in terms of the numbers and roles required.  We continue to see increasing application of automated solutions for routine tasks, and even for some non-routine tasks, but there is much further to go before we get to people-less.
 
Is this a solution to staffing woes?

No.  It's only a part of the solution.

Or is this short-sighted, and should future employment solutions focus on a merging of young talent with advanced technology?
 
Exactly.  The full solution consists of a complementary investment in the development of our industry's human assets through training and career development as well as progression opportunities that will serve to both attract and retain talent.

What are the two key points you hope attendees took away from your presentation?

Certainly, this topic is not news to our industry, but there is a crisis upon us.  The first key point would be that what is needed now is commitment to take concrete action to address this issue.  The second key point would be that there are best practices in organizational design, training, support systems and automation available today that can be used to benchmark performance, identify gaps, and then develop and implement solutions that mitigate the risks associated with our workforce changes today and tomorrow.