Beneficiaries are expected to fly the Ugandan flag high
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I TotalEnergies has commissioned one hundred young Ugandans to go abroad for advanced studies in Oil and Gas operations and maintenance, officials have revealed.
Anita Kayongo, TotalEnergies’ Corporate Affairs Manager, revealed that the Ugandan students are set to travel to France, Malaysia, and Oman in preparation for their future deployment on the Tilenga project during the production phase.
“This group represents the initial cohort from a total of 200 trainees selected through the Tilenga Academy Massive Open Online Course conducted in 2022,” she said in a recently issued press statement.
She said the trainees transformative journey began in April 2024 with initial training at Uganda Petroleum Institute Kigumba (UPIK).
Student beneficiaries pose tor a group photo
“The 2.5-year program included theoretical and practical training in Oil and Gas Production, Maintenance, and Health, Safety, and Environment, conducted by UPIK and Dietsmann, the Maintenance, Operations and Execution Contractor,” she said.
International certification
Said Kayongo: “After successfully completing the first phase of training, the students are being sent abroad to acquire additional training and international certification in Production, Electrical, Mechanical, Production and Instrumentation.”
She said the academy program is structured to provide the trainees with extensive training, equipping them with essential skills and international certifications necessary for their roles in this significant project once production commences.
Philippe Groueix, the TotalEnergies EP Uganda General Manager, said their partnerships with leading institutions in Uganda and abroad ensures that trainees receive the highest quality training and exposure.
“This initiative underscores our commitment to developing Ugandan talent and creating shared value for Uganda,” he further noted.
He said the international training will happen for a period of 18 weeks in the respective countries, followed by 5 weeks for all the students in France.
“The students will then receive an Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organization certification increasing their employability across the globe,” he pointed out, adding that the next cohort of 100 students who commenced their UPIK training in October 2024 will also receive similar exposure upon completion of their program later this year.
A cross section of the beneficiaries who are set to travel
Rania Birungi, a female trainee in the Tilenga Academy expressed her excitement and anticipation saying: “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I have been given to make a significant contribution to my country and build a rewarding career for myself,” she said
Linda Nabirye, the TotalEnergies EP Uganda External Communications and Public Affairs Coordinator, said once the training is completed, the trainees will be deployed in various specialized positions.
“Twenty-nine percent of these will be deployed in production, while 23% will be in Mechanical Maintenance. Another 23% will be placed in Instrumentation Maintenance, while 14% will be in Electrical Maintenance and 6% in Laboratory and 1% in Inspection.”
Training institutions
The three institutions where Ugandans will be training are top notch and internationally recognized. One of these is LS/Oleum, located in France. Situated in the heart of the TotalEnergies industrial sites of Mardyck and La Mède, the two OLEUM centers rely on industry-scale process training facilities to offer specific technical training programs designed for industrial professions linked to energies.
With the requirements of high quality and continuous development, they deliver certificated training as well as a syllabus that is eligible for apprenticeships, in the domain of operations, maintenance, inspection and safety.
The second one is Instep (Petronas Training Center), in Malaysia. Established in 1981, they have grown tremendously into an internationally recognised technical learning solutions partner with customers’ presence from over 50 countries and have produced more than 156,000 job-ready technical workforce serving in more than 30 refinery and petrochemical plants and 100 platforms globally.
The TPO (Takatuf and Petrofac joint venture), in Oman, is a joint venture founded by Takatuf, the human capital solutions provider, and Petrofac, a world leading oilfield service provider with a 35-year track record in the development of training and competence programmes and facilities.
It’s expected that offering specialised training will help maximise the growth and capabilities of future and existing personnel in the energy sector.
