The first batch of welding students to be trained has been unveiled in Hoima today Thursday: COURTESY PHOTO
Total E&P Uganda, the mastermind of the Tilenga and East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline Projects EACOP has started trainings on the first batch of students for the today welders training programme launched earlier this year.
Over 200 students are targeted in the strategy and are to be divided into 8 groups of 25 for the 2G and 4G coded welding levels in line with the industry standards and requirements.
Each batch of 25 candidates is to receive a 3-months training which will involve technical classroom training as well as practical welding.
Total E&P Uganda Integrated Project Representative, Jean Yves Petit, said that the training is a good venture towards “host communities as all of the welders being trained here today originate from the areas around the pipeline districts and the Albertine region.”
“This programme is very important to us as it signifies our commitment not only to the development of Uganda’s oil project but also to the empowerment of Ugandans to take an active and crucial part in the overall development of the oil project in Uganda.”
The training comes at a time when the company is preparing for a Final Investment Decision on the Tilenga and EACOP projects which will kick start the construction phase of the projects.
Uganda, which is in the final stages of constructing the oil pipeline, has a deficit of 1,500 qualified welders to handle the massive project as required by local content legislation.
The project is expected to create 15,000 jobs during its execution and after completion will employ between 1,000 to 2,000 people.
Two training centers have been established in Buliisa to cater for candidates from the Albertine districts, and in Lwengo district for candidates from the pipeline districts.