Welding instructors in western region build capacity

Takoradi, Dec. 18, GNA - Ten welding instructors from the Takoradi Technical Institute (TTI), Kikam Technical Institute and the Regional Maritime University (RMU) have graduated from the second phase of a continuous welding programme.

Twenty employees of Golden Star Resources, a Canadian mining company operating in Ghana also received certificates of participation.

The 12-week intensive training programme was funded with 100,000 dollars by the Ministry of Energy, Oil and Gas capacity building project.

The training was to prepare the instructors to qualify for the certification by the American Welding Society (AWS) thus making them globally recognised welding professionals.

It was also to equip them to prepare their students for employment in the oil and Gas, mining and construction industries.

Mr Matthew Armah, Team leader and Chief Executive Officer of Western Region Coastal Foundation (WRCF) addressing the graduands at the Campus of TTI, said the training programme which was managed by WRCF, provided the instructors with access to a world class Laboratories that housed state of the art welding equipment donated by the World Bank to Kimtech, TTI, RMU.

The CEO said it was possible to deliver high quality training in public technical institutions in the country as opposed to sending employees abroad or inviting consultants to do the training locally.

"With sustained investment by the government and the support of the extractive companies, local technical Institutes will become more sustainable and the TVET sector can begin delivering the high quality graduates, companies are looking for to employ".

He explained that once the instructors went through all the training programme levels they would be prepared to test for international accreditation.

He said WRCF was working with COTVET, the Ghana education service and other stakeholders to review and make recommendations on a new and improved national curriculum that would meet international industry standards. 

Mr Alexander Kyei, project coordinator, oil and gas capacity building project Ministry of Energy commended the graduands and urged them to make maximum use of the training they had acquired to impact positively in the lives of the students and society in general.

He said the training programme sponsored by the World Bank would end this December but that the government under the Accelerated Development programme would continue with it next year.

Mr Seth Danso Apau, Director Technical Examination Unit, GES, said his outfit was ready to partner WRCF to give competence based training for technical and vocational students.

Mr Sampson Damptey, Director Competency Based Training, (COTVET) pointed out that for the country to be industrialised there would be the need to build competitive work force and hinted that plans were far advanced to give the TTI, RMU and Kimtech accreditation to enable them award certificates that would be recognised internationally.

He said they were also working at bridging the gap between industries and schools in which the appropriate training would be given to students that would enable them get employment in industries.

Mr Jonathan Tawiah, Principal of TTI, pledged that with the relevant tools and laboratory, the institute was ready to perform beyond expectation and commended WRCF and the Oil and Gas capacity building project for the support and that it would train more qualified students for the oil and Gas industry.

Nana Kobina Nketsia v, Omanhene of Essikado traditional Area, who presided thanked WRCF and its partners for the programme and urged the students to take their studies seriously adding that though the region was endowed in natural resources it lacked the requisite human resource.

He appealed to the graduands not to leave their various Institutes but impact the knowledge they have learnt with their students.

In a related development, a Technical Centre of Excellence was launched at TTI.

The Centre being supported by WRCF, oil and gas capacity building project, Ghana education service and COVET is to serve as a Business Development Unit (BDU) to generate revenue for TTI and Kimtech through industry training, international funding proposals, symposiums and events, as well as short courses offered in the evenings and on weekends.

The Centre would also generate revenue from external resources outside of government, increase the schools image, enrolment and connection with industries and would help the schools adapt to market change, assist the schools with infrastructure, new equipment and instructor capacity with a focus on improving the education of the student body.

GNA

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