Provincial Government Partners with Industry on Oil and Gas Training Programs
The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources has partnered with the oil and gas industry to provide $1 million for training programs in schools and colleges. This funding is intended to benefit internationally trained engineers, women, First Nations, and high school students.
The programs target training and skills required for employment in the oil and gas sector, such as health and safety certification, heavy equipment operation, and environmental monitoring.
Seven projects in six educational institutions that will utilize $500,000 of the funding were announced on February 15, 2007. Among them is an Immigrant Engineering Orientation Program that will provide foreign-trained engineers with the skills and training required to be successful at finding and retaining employment in BC’s oil and gas industry.
This is year three of the Education and Training Initiative, a partnership between the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources and oil and gas companies to fund oil and gas related training programs. A second call for proposals was issued on January 26, 2007 for projects that will use the remainder of the funds. This call closes on March 23, 2007.
The 16 companies partnered with the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources on these seven educational programs are: Action Services Group, BV, Land Consulting Ltd., Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., ConocoPhillips Canada, Devon Energy Corp. Canada, Enbridge Inc., EnCana Corp., Ensign Energy Services Inc., Fedderly Transportation Ltd., North East Native Advancing Society, Petro-Canada, Progress Energy Ltd., Spectra Energy Transmission, Surerus Pipeline Inc., Talisman Energy Inc. and Trinidad Drilling Ltd.