10 head to China for oil, gas training
Cnooc’s Stanley Qiu Xi (2L), with some of the 10 company employees who left Uganda for a one month training in China to enhance their oil and gas skills. PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA
As Uganda moves into the commercial production phase of the oil and gas industry, more skilled locals will be needed to work in the industry.
At the moment, the key challenge for the sector and economy is the acute shortage of skilled and semi-skilled manpower to drive the industry to the next development phase.
In order to bridge this gap, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) has sponsored 10 of its staff for training in China .
The group left the country on Saturday for a one-month training in China, in the company of CNOOC’s training and personnel manager, Mr Stanley Qiu Xi.
The Public Relations Supervisor of the company, Amina Bukenya told Jobs and Career that the team will engage in training of oil and gas courses relating to management, communication and technical competence for one month at CNOOC International, the firm’s headquarters in China.”
One of the beneficiaries, Exploration Department Assistant Samantha Kamanzi said she is eager to learn more about the industry during the training.
“I will have more opportunities to grow within the company and will be able to pass on the knowledge to my colleagues,” she said.
She was echoed by the community relations manager David Byaruhanga, who said this is a great opportunity that will make him more knowledgeable about the oil and gas industry.
“This is an opportunity for me to understand the whole cycle of oil production and the oil industry at large. I will be in position to respond to stakeholders’ queries in a more informed manner,” Byarugaba said adding that, “When I return, I will be able to share the knowledge that I will have attained with my team as well as be able to respond to various issues from an informed perceptive.”
Byaruhanga’s work entails ensuring that the community and the company maintain good working relations.
Since starting operations in Uganda, CNOOC has conducted more than 10 training programmes focused on the basic understanding of the oil industry, oil and gas safety measures, emergency handling, oil and gas industry accounting, Uganda and Chinese culture, among others.
CNOOC plans to cooperate with the Ugandan universities and institutions in the near future to provide such training within the country, according to Bukenya.
