A high powered delegation of diplomats, business executives and university managers visited Forth Valley College recently (16/03/22) to find out how the BP Mauritania and Senegal National Apprentice Technician Training Programme is progressing.
Aguibou Ba, Director of the National Petroleum and Gas Institute of Senegal, Senegalese Ambassador’s First Counsellor Collette Thiakane Faye, BP’s VP and Head of Country for Senegal Massaer Cisse, Head of Communications & Advocay for Senegal and Mauritania Kitty Hamilton, Vice President Production Mauritania and Senegal Rebecca King and Learning Delivery Manager Claire Duncan, and from Glasgow Caledonian University Andrew Campbell, Strategic Business Development Specialist (UK & International), Institute for University to Business Education and Usman Ahmed, Business Development Lead, Institute for University to Business Education (U2B) – were welcomed to FVC’s Falkirk Campus by for an up to date report, tour of the facilities and a networking opportunity with the students who began their course back in September 2021.
The collaborative project between FVC and Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) who are acting as strategic partners to the global integrated energy company – aims to develop and prepare national technicians in the production, mechanical, instrumentation and electrical fields to work safely, efficiently and compliantly on project facilities in the west African nations by attaining internationally recognised, accredited qualifications.
A total of 49 apprentice technicians have been recruited on the programme and after their 68 week (12 of which was online) course, they will receive their Higher National Certificate qualification in their relevant disciplines of Electrical, Mechanical, Chemistry (Process) or Measurement and Control along with the Vocational level 2 qualification in Performing Engineering Operations. This will allow them to be a step closer to working on the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) project, an innovative, multi-billion-dollar investment to develop a world-class gas field on the maritime border of Mauritania and Senegal, where BP is the Operator.
Robert Simpson, BP West Africa Project Manager, in FVC’s Department of Engineering and Science, said: “We were delighted to welcome such an important delegation and were excited to show them the progress that the students and the course is making here at Forth Valley College. We are confident they left with a great impression of the College, and the positive steps those on the Training Programme are taking.”
Andrew Campbell, GCU’s Strategic Business Development Specialist (UK & International), Institute for University to Business Education, said: “As the lead contractor to BP, we are committed to ensuring this cohort of BP technicians undertake a programme of study that provides skills and knowledge to enable them to be productive and more importantly uphold the health and safety values of BP. The international experience of GCU in delivering human capital solutions along with FVC’s world class training facility is a great partnership that will deliver BP’s first cohort of Senegalese and Mauritanian technicians for GTA.”
Rebecca King, BP’s Vice President Production Mauritania, said: “It was great to see the world class training facilities at Forth Valley College that are not only key to developing the technician’s technical knowledge, but also provides them with vital hands-on experience.
“Our strategic partnership with FVC, Glasgow Caledonian University and the INPG is part of our commitment to local content and is central to building a pipeline of local talent to support the emerging energy sector in Mauritania and Senegal.”
