From: inteligencialtda
Entering the public sector through public tenders offers a path to stability and high salaries, distinguishing it from the volatility of the private sector or personal entrepreneurial ventures [02:42:00].
Opportunities in the Public Sector
For individuals seeking a secure career, public tenders provide a significant alternative to the risks associated with starting a business, where even a personal venture can lead to “self-firing” [03:08:00]. This pathway offers substantial stability and often significantly higher salaries compared to the private sector [03:34:00].
In 2024, there are over 86,000 expected vacancies nationwide [03:56:00], with salaries potentially exceeding R$22,000 [04:01:00]. These opportunities are available in various organizations, including:
- INSS [04:04:00]
- IBGE [04:04:00]
- Funai [04:04:00]
- Caixa Federal Economic [04:04:00]
- Federal Police [04:04:00]
The year 2024 is projected to be the best in the last decade for approving public service exams [04:32:00]. Public servants enjoy stability guaranteed by law, meaning there is “practically no risk of dismissal” [04:41:00]. This provides greater tranquility, well-being, and a better quality of life for individuals and their families [04:48:00].
Case Study: Petrobras
The career of an “oil worker” (public servant) at Petrobras exemplifies the stability offered by public sector jobs [06:05:00]. While the oil market is characterized by significant fluctuations, often described as a “roller coaster,” leading to layoffs for outsourced workers [06:36:00], public servants at Petrobras remain largely unaffected [07:14:00].
Working at Petrobras offers various career paths, from field production and monitoring to advanced research at the company’s globally respected research center (Cenpes) [08:13:00]. Unlike the perception of stagnant careers in public service, Petrobras offers a “career in Y,” allowing employees to specialize in either managerial or highly technical roles, and even change areas internally [09:18:00].
Benefits for Petrobras employees include:
- Meal and food vouchers [10:17:00]
- Vacation [10:22:00]
- Participation in profits (PL), which can result in the equivalent of a 14th salary [10:28:00]
The stability provided by public tenders, especially in fluctuating sectors like oil, protects individuals from market instabilities [10:57:00]. While not entirely immune to dismissal for inappropriate conduct, public servants are largely shielded from the economic ups and downs that impact the private sector [11:11:00]. Many professionals, including those from the speaker’s master’s class in 2005-2006, successfully entered Petrobras through public exams and now hold high positions [11:42:00].
Advancements and Challenges in Oil Exploration
Petrobras is recognized globally, particularly its research center (Cenpes), for its cutting-edge technology and expertise in areas like ultra-deep water drilling (over 2,000m of water depth) [12:56:00]. The discovery and exploration of pre-salt oil, located beneath a challenging salt layer, is a testament to this [13:09:00].
The pre-salt layer, geologically older than the salt layer above it, contains significant oil reserves [14:56:00]. To discover oil, seismic imaging is used, involving ships that send air bubbles to generate waves that reflect off rock layers, detected by sensors [18:13:00]. The challenge with the salt layer is that it acts as a “big filter,” significantly weakening the seismic signal from below [19:33:00].
Petrobras geophysicists developed an in-house, state-secret technique utilizing Artificial Intelligence to analyze and enhance these weak signals, leading to the discovery of the vast pre-salt reserves [20:07:00]. Pre-salt reservoirs are typically found 6 to 7 km deep, with about 2 km of water and 5 km of seabed rock [22:34:00]. Drilling through the plastic-like salt layer, which tends to collapse, required developing a continuous drilling and cementing technique [29:07:00]. This costly endeavor initially made pre-salt exploration seem unfeasible, but years of research by Petrobras “oil workers” made it economically viable [31:05:00]. Today, over 50% of Brazil’s oil comes from the pre-salt [31:40:00].
Working in Petrobras provides access to cutting-edge technology and top-tier training, with significant international exchange opportunities for professionals [32:01:00]. Unlike Saudi Arabia’s easily accessible oil, Brazil’s pre-salt, while similar in quality, lies much deeper, requiring advanced techniques [32:31:00].
Brazil’s inability to refine its heavy crude oil (like that from the Campos Basin) domestically means it sells crude oil and buys refined products, often at a disadvantage [38:54:00]. The complexity of fuel pricing involves numerous factors beyond the barrel price, including international agreements, exchange rates, and various taxes, making it difficult for even experts to fully ascertain [41:00:00].
While Brazil is self-sufficient in oil production volume, the lack of heavy oil refineries necessitates trading crude for refined products [42:44:00].
Conclusion
Public tenders offer a compelling career path with stability and strong benefits, as exemplified by roles in major public companies like Petrobras. These positions allow professionals to engage with cutting-edge technology and contribute to strategic national industries, all while being buffered from market volatilities that impact the private sector. The commitment to such careers often entails continuous learning and engagement with advanced scientific and technological developments.