A first-time agreement signed between the global publishing, research and consultancy firm Oxford Business Group (OBG) and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) is set to support the country’s drive to foster closer ties between education providers and the hydrocarbons industry.

Under the agreement, students and faculty members at the University of Ghana will be given online access to OBG’s library of reports on emerging economies for a three-year period.

Alex Mould, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the GNPC, said awareness was growing in Ghana of the need to produce a well-trained, local workforce for both the hydrocarbons industry and its related fields.

“Jobs in the oil and gas industry are evolving because new technologies are always emerging and environmental regulations are constantly changing the face of the industry,” he said.

“While direct jobs in the industry are few, indirect and related jobs are many. We expect heightened activity next year and beyond.”

Alex Mould said that collaborative ventures between the hydrocarbons industry and educational institutions were on the rise, with companies such as Schlumberger and Technip already providing Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the University of Ghana with educational resources.

“We expect more companies to support Ghana’s academic institutions by providing them with tools, equipment and materials that aid teaching and learning,” he said.

OBG’s Country Director, Aicha Larbi Daho Bachir, said that the Group and the GNPC both recognized the importance of ensuring that students were given an opportunity to acquire the technical skills and knowledge needed to participate in key areas of Ghana’s economy.

“I’m delighted that by offering the University of Ghana’s students access to our reports and updates, we will be supporting GNPC’s efforts to prepare young Ghanaians for the world of work.”

OBG’s collaboration with the GNPC forms part of the Group’s Academic Programme, which offers students a platform to read over 22,000 searchable articles featured in the firm’s reports.

OBG currently partners more than 60 universities and business schools worldwide as part of the programme, providing more than 10,000 students with access to its data.