200 get international certificates to service oil sector

July 23, 2018 in Energy, Investment by Editor

July 23, 2018—The momentum to increase local capacity to service the budding oil and gas sector received a boost after 220 students attained internationally recognized certificates under the Youth Employment Enhancement Project (YEEP) at St Simon Peters, Vocational Training Center Hoima. Hoima is close to the oil fields being developed in western Uganda.

The oil and gas sector will peak at creating 160,000 jobs and the biggest number will be artisans. But according to Honey Malinga of Petroleum Authority Uganda, the country is still facing a challenge of few qualified personnel to work in the sector.

Technical and financial support is being provided by the Skills for Eastern Africa Program (E4D/SOGA), Q-Souring, in partnership with Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and financed by development partners including the UK Department  for International Development, the Germany  Federal  Ministry of  Economic Affairs  and Development (GIZ) and the Norwegian  Agency for Development Cooperation.

YEEP was started to widen the domestic pool of internationally certified artisans available to take advantages of the job opportunities in the oil and gas sector.

Out of the 220, 20 are artisans trained in 3G coded welding certified by American Welding Society, 50 in Welding, Fabrication and Pipework certified by City and Guilds, 30 attained certificates in Electrical Engineering while 120 studied Scaffolding Erection and Inspection.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Adrian Green, Head of Growth and Economy at the British High Commission in Kampala said encouraging vocational skills is the way to go if the government is to reduce widespread youth unemployment.

“Equipping younger people with vocational skills can prepare them to become job creators.  Without vocational skills, the majority of Ugandan youth may be left out of the job market in the country’s oil and gas sector,’ he said.

He said the British government will continue working closely with the various development partners and the Uganda government to ensure that the right skills are transferred in the process of helping to fight poverty.

GIZ  Country  Director, Christian Schnurre said the natural resources sector especially oil and gas is going to be a significant in terms of attracting job-seekers, but oil companies will not compromise on the level of skills required.

“For understandable reasons, the companies in the oil and gas sector will not lower their high standards. It’s up to Uganda to raise the level of its craftsmen to meet those international  standards,” he said.

GIZ is implementing another project in the Albertine Region in western Uganda where it is supporting five training  institutes to enable more young people within the surrounding communities to take advantage. of learning news skills. These include Buhimba Technical  Institute and Kasese Youth Polytechnic.

John Steven Ekomu, the Hoima Resident District Commissioner while officiating the event said the government has put several enabling policies and notably, the 2008 National Oil and Gas policy.

“This policy promotes capacity building for both the authorities and national entrepreneurs. Under this policy, the government will ensure that Ugandan youth are equipped with the relevant skills. That is why Government established  a fully-fledged institute to teach oil and gas related courses,” he said.