Forty graduate, ready for LNG

The National Education
Department of Education deputy secretary Titus Hartigan and Total E&P PNG Ltd managing director Jean-Marc Noiray completing the MoU signing between POMTECH and Total E&P PNG Ltd recently.

FORTY students from Gulf graduated from the Port Moresby Technical College with national certificate one (NC1) in mechanical fitting and building & construction through a TVET Scholarship Programme.
This first batch that graduated on Nov 27 included 17 women and 23 men.
These students were sponsored by the Papua LNG Project partners.
Total E&P PNG Ltd established the Gulf TVET scholarship programme this year to build the capacity of its local workforce in preparation for the construction of the Papua LNG Project.
The programme is a partnership between Total and Port Moresby Technical College.
The graduates will continue to complete national certificates two and three in 2020.
Further groups of students from Gulf will commence the programme next year.
The programme would be extended to cover fabrication and welding, hospitality (cookery and house-keeping), equipment operation and logistics.
The Papua LNG Project is yet to enter the development phase, however, the company said in a statement that it was important that workforce development started early.
“Total E&P PNG Ltd is committed to developing the capacity of local workers and businesses to supply relevant skills, labour, products and services that meet a high standard of quality, for a reasonable cost, in a transparent and competitive market,” it said in the statement.
“This local capacity will support the long-term operations of the project and further developments in the oil and gas industry in PNG.
“The focus of the TVET scholarship programme is on the youth of Gulf and this ongoing programme will also provide the skill-base to underpin the broader economic development that will be stimulated by the Papua LNG Project in Gulf.
“The graduates from the TVET scholarship programme will form a ready pool of well-trained workers for project contractors to consider and recruit.
“Successful graduates will also be eligible to apply for further training as operator and maintenance technicians during production and these are long-term job opportunities.
“Local workers and local businesses which have the relevant skills and capacities will be given priority by the Papua LNG Project.