Middle
East

Investing in the future of Saudi Arabia

25 April, 2012

In January 2012 Petrofac Training Services (PTS) signed a five-year contract with the Saudi Petroleum Services Polytechnic (SPSP) to operate and manage a new construction, HSE and drilling training centre in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

PTS is privileged to be working in partnership with SPSP to support Saudi Arabia’s drive to develop its own oil & gas industry workforce by operating and managing a new national training centre.

SPSP is the initiative of the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation and Saudi Arabian Chevron Corporation. Supported by the Human Resources Development Fund and operated by Petrofac, the centre offers young Saudi Nationals the opportunity to complete internationally accredited training programmes. These are specifically designed to meet the future skills needs of Saudi Arabia’s growing workforce and include internationally recognised vocational qualifications and short up-skilling courses.

Starting in April 2012 the centre will provide a range of bespoke, internationally accredited training. Programmes in construction, health and safety and drilling will be available to many students each year. The students will include local nationals for Aramco – the world’s largest National Oil Company – along with staff from the Saudi state-owned company’s contractor base.

With internationally recognised accreditations the SPSP Construction and Drilling Training Centre is committed to quality training that positively impacts the drive for Saudisation of technical workers within the petroleum services sector.

In addition, this new training centre has been established to help meet the requirements of Saudi Aramco contractors, and will offer certification and re-certification of both Saudi and expatriate contractors to internationally recognised standards.

The focus on training young Saudi nationals will further the government’s wish to expand its workforce and the planned ‘Saudisation’ of the local industry, which aims to extend the economic benefits of Saudi oil & gas assets to its own population.

Representation from Petrofac Training Services at the official inauguration event; Paul Groves, managing director, Peter Jackson, business development director MEACA, Phil Blewitt, regional director MEACA and Paul Jones, business development manager, Saudi Arabia.