Accra, Oct. 13, GNA - The Management Development and Productivity Institute (MDPI) of the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare has initiated a programme to ensure the full participation of Ghanaians at all levels in the emerging oil and gas industry. The Institute, with funding and technical support of its collaborating agencies, has therefore started a short-term practical hands-on competency based training programme for Ghanaians to work at various levels of the various career areas in the Oil and Gas Industry. A statement from the MDPI in Accra signed by Dr. Shaibu Ahmed Gariba, Director General, said the training would build capacities of unskilled and semi-skilled Ghanaians to proceed with their careers in accounting, administration, engineering, finance, human resource, commerce.

Others are environment and sanitation, security and protection, health and safety, technical and technology, transportation and terminal, media and communication, drilling, exploration and production, field development, law, the geosciences and Information Communication Technology(ICT).

The rest are logistics and procurement, general operations and management, petrochemicals, biotechnology, refining, rigging, sales and marketing, general and applied sciences as well as some of the various oil and gas multiplier and related disciplines. The statement said participating candidates would be Ghanaians with basic and secondary level education to be trained to work on unskilled areas; Ghanaians with diplomas and first degree level professional, academic and technical education to be trained to work as semi-skilled and then the fully qualified Ghanaian professionals, masters and experienced practitioners to be trained to work as managers, consultants and or advisors.

It said candidates could be unemployed or employed Ghanaians with interests in furthering their respective careers in the oil and gas industry.

"Upon detailed feasibilities, further discussions and technical consultations, strategic provision of participation opportunities to District Assemblies (Local Government Bodies), the National Youth Employment programme, Constituencies (MPs), and some for the general public with priority for candidates of the oil communities has been determined.

"The programme shall be delivered by a joint team of world leading competency based training and service provider firms in the oil and gas industry including Petroskills and Schlumberger as well as Africa Gulf Petroleum Services and locally sourced and developed experts of the MDPI."

The statement added that all participants shall be trained at the MDPI in Ghana and further sent to Angola and other oil and gas countries for practical and field exposure. All trainees shall be linked with oil explorations and services companies, where they would be employed immediately after training.

It said each training module including the industrial attachment was designed to complete within a period of three to six months. DCEs, MPs and the National Youth Employment Programme as well as any interested public or private entity could contact the Director of MDPI to discuss issues on the possible numbers and type of candidates they could present to be trained for the various levels of work in the various career areas and the type of time table that would favour all target beneficiaries both working and non-working, the statement said All individuals interested in the programme may visit www.mygoodwillgroup.com for details.