Accra, Sept. 28, GNA - Takoradi Polytechnic is collaborating with the Aircraft Maintenance Training Institute and Afrimeric Engineering International Cincinnati, in the US to introduce Aircraft Technician courses by the end of the year.

Reverend Professor Daniel Nyarko, Rector of the academic facility who made this known on Tuesday said: "The programme, which will begin with a maximum of 50 students, is aimed at training aircraft technicians to maintain planes that will be coming to the Western Region when the exploitation of oil and gas begins." Reverend Nyarko who was speaking to the media at the Osu Castle, said the polytechnic would for the first time in many years, graduate their students six months after the completion of their courses. "The current system where students graduate a year or more after completion, prevent fresh students from gaining employment and also delay the promotion of workers who wait years after completion of their certificates."

The rector said plans were also advanced to introduce a course in oil and gas in the 2010/2011 academic year, to train technicians in welding, plumbing, boiler makers among other disciplines. He said the school is well positioned to run the courses through the collaboration with Afrimeric Engineering International. "The collaborators will soon come here (Ghana) and we shall follow up to finalise all the agreements before coming back to start," he said. He said the polytechnic was already enjoying

co-operation from Tullow Ghana Limited, international oil company and expressed the hope that the institution of the oil and gas course would provide a major boost to the country's oil industry. 28 Sept. 10