We have to develop enough talent to handle oil activities, says PAU
The Institute of Petroleum Studies Kampala will now be able to train and award degrees in oil and gas, environmental health and safety management. Photo / Courtesy
What you need to know:
- According to the Petroleum Authority of Uganda the oil and gas sector will need personnel of up to a quarter a million employees, which therefore, calls for enhanced skilling during the development stage
The Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) has said there is need to build enough human resource to handle different aspects of the oil and gas sector, including technical areas.
Speaking at the certification of the Institute of Petroleum Studies Kampala as a degree awarding oil and gas institution, Ms Lindah Nalubanga Kasiisa, the PAU senior national content officer, said the oil and gas sector will need personnel of up to a quarter a million employees, which therefore, calls for enhanced skilling during the development stage.
“We are building capacity by training Ugandans with the help of expatriates on how to advance different areas of technical work. We have nationalised 50 key jobs in four years, which is rare in other countries,” she said, noting that oil and gas sector has, however, effortlessly bridged the capability gap by facilitating knowledge transfer from foreigners to locals so that they can successfully participate in the sector.
Stakeholders in the oil and gas sector have suggested that the more exhaustive projects they have, the more manpower they need at various stages of development, commercial production, sales and auxiliary sectors.
Therefore, the Other Awarded Degree Status issued by the National Council for Higher Education is a welcome intervention, which now allows the Institute of Petroleum Studies Kampala to among others, train and award degrees in oil and gas, environmental health and safety management.
Mr Patrick Ruhanuza, the Institute of Petroleum Studies Kampala director, said the institute is dealing with a lot of academic research, which will allow it to provide a collection of new information that is vital and is capable of addressing current issues in the oil and gas sector.
“We are dealing with academic research and the idea is to provide a collection of new information that is vital to the growing industry. It aims not only to create new knowledge that addresses current issues, but also to develop new information related to oil and gas needs. “
Mr Abraham Nkata, the Institute of Petroleum Studies Kampala chairman, said because Ugandan oil and gas professionals are sought after internationally, it is essential that they are educated in internationally recognised qualifications and standards.
“This is the confidence of the oil and gas industry that they have the qualifications to ensure that Ugandans have the technical skills and competencies required by the industry,” he said.
Train and award
The Other Awarded Degree Status issued by the National Council for Higher Education allows the Institute of Petroleum Studies Kampala to among others, train and award degrees in oil and gas, environmental health and safety management.
