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China Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) Uganda Limited has unveiled plans to train 444 youth in the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom to prepare them for the upcoming oil and gas opportunities.
CNOOC is taking the Kingfisher oilfield in Buhuka parish, Kyangwali sub-county in Kikuube district on the shores of Lake Albert.
While the discovery of oil in the Albertine region has raised fears of a likely resource curse, the government and oil companies are putting in place strategies to mitigate the negative impacts associated with the industry.
Speaking at the launch of a three-month training of 30 heavy machine operators on Tuesday afternoon at Sir Tito Winyi playground, Matthew Kyaligonza, the national content manager at CNOOC said the company is committed to skilling and developing the capacity of local human resource for the region and the country at large.
He explained they are planning to train 160 welders, 84 teachers and certify them in different fields as well as train 200 small and medium enterprises SMEs.
Kyaligonza noted that recently, they started training drivers of big trucks and they have embarked on training heavy machine operators.
He added that the beneficiaries will be trained in operating excavators and bulldozers which are being used in the current civil works in the oil industry adding that this is the first time the company is training the operators.
He noted that 700 youths applied and only 30 we considered adding that the turn-up indicated that there is high demand for the skills.
Kyaligonza commended the Petroleum Authority of Uganda for putting in place national content regulations that enable oil companies to implement such training programs.
“With these skills, the youth will be employable in oil and gas, we are also going to register you on the national database and recommend you to our contractors so that they can employ you,” he said.
James Okwi, the Petroleum Authority of Uganda skills development officer, commended CNOOC for the training, adding that the training was exciting since they are aimed at promoting national content.
He said that training will empower the youth in the region to help them to get employed in the oil industry and other sectors.
Okwi challenged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously because many people need such training but they did not qualify.
He noted those who engage in alcoholism and sexual immorality will be pushed out of the training.
Okwi noted there is a need for the people of Bunyoro to embrace vocational training, adding if they continue neglecting such soft skills, they will miss out on opportunities in oil.
While launching the training, the Hoima City Deputy Mayor, Sylvia Nalumaga expressed excitement about the training initiative, adding that it is going to tackle the challenge of unemployment among the youth.
She noted that there are many unemployed youths in the kingdom because of being unskilled.
“They have told me that out of 30, only two female youths qualified for the training. I implore leaders to sensitise the female youth to change their minds and start taking on jobs which they think are done by the male gender,” Nalumaga said.
Ivan Wesonga the executive director of Zatta Energy that is implementing the training, said they started with theory and that the next phase will be equipping them with practical skills.
One of the beneficiaries, Patrick Tumusiime, said that the training was long overdue, adding that he has been longing to have such international certificates but all in vain due to a lack of funding.
He noted that this training will offer them an internationally recognised certificate that will help them to secure jobs in the oil industry and other sectors in Uganda and outside Uganda.
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