The desire of the Federal Government to build capacity and extend local content in the oil and gas sector of the economy received a huge boost when 20 Nigerian youths, who were trained in pipeline and undersea welding at Samsung Heavy Industries’ Geoje Shipyard in South Korea returned to the country after the successful completion of their one-month intensive training, which led to the award of the American Welding Society 3 filet Tag and 4 filet Tag certificates.
The trainees, who arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos aboard an Emirates flight from Seoul, were the first batch of the Nigerian youths who have been designated for such training, to be trained and acquire skills by Samsung Heavy Machineries Nigeria Limited.
They were received on arrival by top officials of Samsung Heavy Industries Nigeria Limited. among whom were the Managing Director, Mr. Jejin Jeon, and the company’s General Manager, Mr. Frank Ejizu.
Speaking at the brief arrival ceremony, Ejizu, who spoke on behalf of the Samsung Heavy Industries, the facilitators and sponsor of the one month intensive training, said Samsung has through its sponsorship of the training demonstrated its belief in the capacity building for Nigerians, which would lead to increased local content in the oil and gas industry in line with the vision of President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda for the industry.
Ejizu, who said another batch of the trainees would soon leave the shores of Nigeria for South Korea on the same one month intensive training, implored the beneficiaries of the good gesture of Samsung Heavy Industries to ensure that they put into practice all the skills they acquired during the training.
Besides the skills acquired, the programme has also exposed the Nigerian youths to highly advanced and automated production and maintenance facilities at the yard, even as they were introduced to the high standard health, safety, environment, quality assurances and control, which are needed in the oil and gas sector.
While expressing the joy of acquiring such skills and certificates that would make them relevant and be of high demand professionally in the oil and gas sector, the trainees, who were full of praises for the company for giving them the opportunity to be a part of the training programme at no cost to them, said that besides the skills they had acquired, they also had the opportunity to get full medical care, learn more about the culture and values of the South Koreans.