A group of 73 Papua New Guineans have taken the first steps towards an exciting new career, completing the first stage of their Production Operations and Maintenance training program.
Trainees who meet the program’s academic and behavioural expectations will travel to Canada in January to complete one year of Advanced Skills Training before returning to Papua New Guinea to commence Facility Specific Training at PNG LNG facilities.
Ultimately, the Operations and Maintenance trainees will become qualified technicians capable of operating and maintaining the PNG LNG Project’s Hides Gas Conditioning Plant and LNG Plant along with associated pipelines and wells.
Patti McNulty, PNG LNG Project Training and National Workforce Development Manager praised the trainees’ commitment to the course over the past 18 months.
“ We congratulate this group of very capable and inspiring Papua New Guineans who have reached a significant milestone in their training and development ,” said Ms McNulty.
“ Building the skills of Papua New Guinean workers through training is an integral part of the PNG LNG Project’s National Content Plan. As of third quarter 2011, the Project’s construction workforce is over 11,000 people, and over 7,200 of these are Papua New Guineans .
“ We are providing training opportunities to our workforce covering a wide range of areas to enhance the skills and knowledge of the Papua New Guinean workforce for both their current roles and future employment opportunities either with the Project or elsewhere, ” she said.
Trainees had completed a 12-month Foundation Skills Program which included mathematics, computing, physics and chemistry, and are now completing a six-month Basic Skills Training Program designed to introduce the fundamentals of the oil and gas industry.
Selection of a second intake of Operations and Maintenance trainees is well underway with training scheduled to commence in January 2012.
[mappress] LNG World News Staff, December 6, 2011; Image: Santos