Total Energies selects 200 youth for oil and gas skilling
Some of the Tilenga Academy trainees pose for a photo during the unveiling ceremony in Kampala yesterday. Photo / Paul Murungi
What you need to know:
- The youth, from different parts of the country, and academic institutions, will join the Tilenga Academy training programme.
- They were selected through a competitive Tilenga Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), which attracted 13,000 applicants.
Total Energies yesterday unveiled the 200 Ugandan youth who will undertake skilling and international certification in oil and gas required in the Tilenga project during the production phase in 2025.
The youth, from different parts of the country, and academic institutions, will join the Tilenga Academy training programme. They were selected through a competitive Tilenga Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), which attracted 13,000 applicants.
The trainees will receive training for two and half years at various locations starting with the Uganda Petroleum Institute, Kigumba, followed by international oil and gas training centres, and a hands-on experience during Tilenga project installation and commissioning.
Total, at the ceremony held in Kampala, also unveiled the key courses for the trainees such as Theoretical training in oil and gas, production, maintenance, as well as health, safety and environment.
It is planned that 31 percent of the trainees will specialise in production, 27 percent in mechanical maintenance, 26 percent in instrumentation maintenance, and 16 percent in electrical maintenance. The training is part of Total’s national content programme aimed at skilling Ugandans in oil and gas where 50 (25 percent) of the trainees hail from the oil and gas host districts of Hoima, Masindi, Buliisa and Nwoya, and some EACOP districts.
An exception for gender was also made with 46 of the trainees being women.
“When we launched the Tilenga MOOC in 2021, our objective was clear, to ensure that we maximise awareness and participation of Ugandans in the oil and gas sector,” Mr Philippe Groueix, the Total general manager, said.
“I am particularly proud to highlight the diversity of the selected trainees,” he added.
Mr Groueix, while responding to inquiries from some of the trainees also noted the training provides all- round skills for them to work across the globe in the industry, and the East African region where new explorations are taking place.
Total has so far invested in training 17,000 Ugandans for pre- operations training, technical training, welding, internships, graduate trainee programs and Heavy Goods Vehicle driver training.
Mr Oscar Muhumuza, a lecturer at UPIK, said the petroleum institute has capacity to accommodate more than 400 students and will work with Total to improve on the general capacity of the institution.
Ms Moureen Akidi Ogwang, a graduate from Kyambogo University, is among the trainees with key interests in protecting the environment from oil and gas pollution effects.
“When I analysed the oil and gas sector, I realised it resonates well with my field as an environmental engineer. There are very many aspects that I can learn and contribute to, such as health and safety, and dealing with pollution which are part of the environmental aspects,” she said.
The first cohort, comprising 100 trainees is expected to be mobilized and have the opportunity to work on Tilenga sites in the first quarter of 2025, while the second cohort will be mobilised in the second half of 2025.
The Tilenga project, implemented in the Albertine Region, will produce 190,000 barrels of oil per day at plateau from the 400 oil wells in six fields of Ngiri, Jobi Rii, Gunya, Mputa-Nzizi-Waraga, Kasemene-Wahrindi, Kigogole-Ngara, Nsoga and Ngege fields.
