In a bid to promote skills formation in Papua New Guinea’s LNG sector Kumul Petroleum Academy, trading as South Pacific Employment Institute (SPEI), has signed a K9 million technician development agreement with ExxonMobil PNG.

The PNG LNG projects gas conditioning plant at Hides in Southern Highlands Province. Credit: ExxonMobil/Richard Dellman

The agreement, signed in late July, will see ExxonMobil’s operations and maintenance technicians trained, coached and assessed on Site Group International’s Safe Live Process Plant (SLPP).

Site Managing Director Vernon Wills tells Business Advantage PNG the agreement will provide training that is focused on promoting the national workforce into skilled and challenging roles.

The Site program features a blend of training, coaching and assessing.

Technicians will undertake a 15 month competence-based operations and maintenance program.

The training is intended to produce job-ready junior technicians in the production, instrument, electrical and mechanical disciplines.

Needs

The Site program features a blend of training, coaching and assessing.

Subjects covered include: health, safety, environment and behavioral safety, emergency response, foundation knowledge and basic hand skills, specific knowledge and skills, and on the job training and coaching.

‘The challenge has always been giving Papua New Guinean nationals the training that they require to get into the industry.’

‘We engaged in discussions with ExxonMobil to gain an understanding of their workforce needs, because the people we train will become key technicians at ExxonMobil’s facilities in the future,’ says Wills.

SPEI is in talks with other resource companies in Papua New Guinea to see how they can meet their workforce needs through training delivered by Site at the academy, he said.

‘The challenge has always been giving Papua New Guinean nationals the training that they require to get into the industry.’

‘This training will now be provided in-country, which will put Papua New Guinea ahead of most of our Asia Pacific regional counterparts.’

‘Where do they go to get the practical skills and the hands on skills that will enable them to work on a process plant? asks Wills.

Youth

The PNG LNG plant site. Credit: ExxonMobil/Richard Dellman

SPEI Chairman Isaac Lupari says the institute is focused on developing opportunities for Papua New Guinean youth and the existing workforce to participate in roles that would normally be out of reach and require training overseas at great expense and investment.

‘This training will now be provided in-country, which will put Papua New Guinea ahead of most of our Asia Pacific regional counterparts,’ Lupari says.

The training delivered by Site also incorporates a soft skills component that includes leadership and management skills.

‘There is a commitment … to put the future of Papua New Guinea’s resources into the hands of the Papua New Guinea nationals.’

As the trainees advance through the program, says Wills, project management and leadership courses will be made available to ensure trainees have the skills to excel in leadership roles within the industry.

Workforce development

Commenting on the development of Papua New Guinea’s national workforce, Wills advises that more companies should follow the lead of ExxonMobil, and similar organisations, by investing in the progress of the population so as to influence the capability of the national workforce in line with the Government’s 2050 vision.

‘There is a commitment from Site and its partners, as well as senior industry players and senior government officials, to build a system that increases the capabilities of the national workforce and to put the future of Papua New Guinea’s resources into the hands of the Papua New Guinea nationals.’

National and local workforce development is the key driver for most international companies investing in emerging economies, it has both social and economic advantages that lead to long term sustainable growth.

ExxonMobil’s Andrew Barry

ExxonMobil PNG Managing Director Andrew Barry says the agreement with Kumul Petroleum Academy is a further investment in its Papua New Guinean workforce.

‘These first class facilities once ready, will provide invaluable training and development of world-class technicians who will run our facilities in the future,’ Barry says.

Site’s SLPP will be ready for the on the job training portion of the program in 2017.

Commissioned by SPEI in August 2015 and valued at US$4 million, the SLPP is under construction by Site at its facility in Clark, Philippines.