Total launches ambitious scheme to train welders

March 14, 2018 in Companies, Energy, Infrastructure, Investment by Editor

March 14— Resource company, Total E&P Uganda, the lead on the Tilenga crude oil development project has  launched a training for welders in Buliisa and Lwengo Districts in the vicinity of the oilfields in western Uganda.

The training is aimed at improving the employability of Ugandans from the Albertine region for the proposed 1450 kilometre East African Crude Oil Pipeline Project in the  Ugandan section  en route Tanga in Tanzania.

During a news conference this week, Total E&P Uganda General Manager Adewale Fayemi said, “In all its operations worldwide, Total considers national content as key for the success of its operations and Total E&P Uganda is no exception. Therefore our plan is to maximize the use of local manpower, local goods and service providers.”

“This indeed is in line with the National Content regulations. Uganda’s oil and gas project is moving steadily into the development phase and a strategy has been developed to strengthen the National content potential and the ability for local companies to compete favourably,” he said.

The training will also develop a domestic pool of internationally certified welders aligned to the American Welding Society Standard and will be held over the course of at least 24 weeks. It will initially benefit 200 people from Nwoya, Masindi, Nebbi, Buliisa and Hoima, as well as the districts along the pipeline route, to include Kakumiro, Kyankwanzi, Mubende, Gomba, Sembabule, Lwengo and Kyotera.

He explained during the development phase, a lot of technicians will be needed for the project. It is therefore essential to train and certify technicians such as welders to enhance their knowledge and skills required to not only meet the demands of the project but also ensure that the highest standards of safety are considered.

“Due to the highly technical nature of the industry, quality and safety cannot be compromised.We are also very pleased to partner with GIZ, the German development agency with whom we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding under which it will use its expertise and experience in capacity building programmes to closely monitor the project’s implementation. This will ensure the desired quality of candidates is attained from the yearlong programme,” Fayemi said.

The training will be conducted by two Ugandan companies, Q-Training also known as the The Assessment and Skilling Centre (TASC) and E360 Group Limited. The two companies have commendable experience in providing manpower services for the past ten years, serving clients in large multi – national companies in the region.

Two central locations have been identified to conduct the training; Buliisa district for candidates from the Albertine districts and Lwengo district for candidates from the pipeline districts.

The trainers will perform technical training and certification of candidates up to 2G and 4G coded welding levels in line with the industry standards and health, Safety and Environment training among others.

Following the training, Total will ensure that the certified welders are taken on in preparation for the development phase of the project. Calls for applications to the training will be made through radio advertisements on local stations, vocational training institutes, district officials and local government offices.

Total E&P Uganda is progressing steadily towards the achievement of a Final Investment Decision (FID) in 2018 and towards 1st oil about 36 months later. The construction and development phase of the project is expected to involve an increase in the company’s activities within the Albertine region and along the pipeline route which will require the recruitment of well trained and certified technical personnel.