LNG selections ‘based on merit’

A THOROUGH assessment system based on merit will be used to select 22 graduates to undergo intensive training in Australia for the K42 billion PNG liquefied natural gas project, according to an adviser to the project.
There are plans to enrol another graduate intake next year and similar criteria will be used.
Senior public and government affairs adviser to the PNG LNG project, Stuart Symons, said the 22 graduates were selected following a rigorous assessment process based on merit.
He was responding to a call by Komo-Margarima MP Francis Potape in The National on Monday for ExxonMobil to reveal the selection criteria.
Mr Potape made the call after students from the project areas of his electorate, who missed out on the training, had been pressing him to find out how the 22 graduates got selected ahead of them.
Mr Symons explained that the positions were advertised in the two daily newspapers and candidates were short-listed based on areas of discipline and other achievements.
“All short-listed candidates were then interviewed and the successful interviewees were tested and reference checked before being offered places in the graduate programme,” he said.
He also clarified that the 22 graduates were from seven different provinces with qualifications in engineering, project controls and administration.
“We will produce and distribute additional communication materials about the graduate programme to the impacted communities to ensure the process is well understood,” Mr Symons said.