Seven women join trade skills programme

SEVEN women are among a group of 15 technical tradespeople who have joined the Oil Search 2020 Apprentice programme.
They will join the production and maintenance departments and be given the opportunity to further their training overseas.
Oil Search in a statement said its four-year apprentice programme began with a one-year technician training course at the Institut Teknologi Petroleum PETRONAS (INSTEP) campus in Malaysia.
The course is designed to give the trainees knowledge, skills and conduct required to be safe and effective.
On returning to the field, they will work under the supervision of trainers and technicians.
They will undergo training that is integrated with Oil Search’s competency management system to enable them to be competent in their roles.
Darren Williams, Oil Search senior vice-president, health, safety, environment and security said the apprentices were selected from around 1,200 applications.
“Congratulations on joining Oil Search,” he said.
“We are a very dynamic and exciting organisation.
“As people move on, we need young people to come in and undergo training to take over.
“We are always looking for new people that are smart, sharp and intelligent and are ready to have a go.”
Apprentices Abraham Kepsie, 26, from Tagali, Hela and Elton Robbie Kora, 29, from Samberigi, Southern Highlands thanked Oil Search for providing them an opportunity to develop their skills and contribute to the development of the petroleum industry.