APAVE International and its local partners, Integrity Logistics and Consult Limited (oil and gas service companies), have inaugurated a Training and Support Centre at Beahu in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western Region.
The almost-US$6million state of the art centre will provide training programmes to support various onshore and offshore operations.
It has the capacity to train more than 1,000 people yearly to enable them secure jobs in the oil and gas and safety industry in general, and in specific technical areas such as welding, electrical, Non-destructive testing (NDT), Health and Safety, Rope Access, Rigging, Electrical and Emergency Response among others.
Chief Executive Officer of Integrity Logistics and Consult Limited, Yaa Amoako-Adu – also a Partner of APAVE, noted that one major challenge in Ghana’s oil and gas industry is the lack of required expertise to meet growing demands by oil companies across the world.
“We at APAVE continue to demonstrate our commitment to bridging the skills gap in order to provide more opportunities, especially for locals within the industry,” she said.
She believes the Training and Support Centre will go a long way to support the enforcement of regulations in the oil and gas, mining and allied operations.
“We are confident that our work will support the creation of strong economic growth, and we urge the youth – especially the ladies – to take an interest in the oil and gas courses,” she said.
“For anyone who wants to ensure high standards in safety and risk management, this centre is your best bet,” she added.
Philippe Mailard, Chief Executive Officer of APAVE International, explained that the company’s comprehensive view of the country’s oil and gas space informed the decision to invest in a training and support centre – capable of training and producing Ghanaians with the right expertise needed in the sector either in-country or abroad.
“We have been operating in Ghana for more than 15 years, mainly to support oil and gas activities; after all these years, we decided to invest here in a long-term approach in order to become an important local player,” he said.
He mentioned that the Centre is fitted with top of the range training materials and equipment, such that trainees get exposed to the practicalities therein.
“The lecturers are also carefully selected industry persons who have established themselves in their respective fields of work,” he added.
Prince Benjamin Aboagye, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Commission said: “The PC, as the regulator of Ghana’s upstream oil and gas sector, would like to assure Ghanaians that it’s here to pave the way for comprehensive human capital development which meets internationally accepted training standards in the Oil and Gas sectors across the globe”.
More particularly, he said the Commission wants to see young women featured in the oil and gas industry to fulfil government’s dream of seeing more women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
“Our partners share a passion to make the oil and gas sector more gender-equitable, by ensuring that avenues for young women who aspire to partake in the upstream and downstream activities in the oil and gas industry come to pass. We recognise that the female presence needs to be felt in the upstream sector, as this sector has not been explored fully by females,” he added.
He commended APAVE for the Centre’s establishment, and also thanked them for taking on board five Instrumentation Technicians to be given practical and hands-on training as part of the 150 young Ghanaians who were selected to be to be part ongoing AOGC Training at the Takoradi Technical University.
