The oil and gas training at the secondary technical school NATIN has started ceremonially today, Friday 28 October 2022. A group of thirty students is the first to start this eighteen-month program.
The 'Oil & Gas Kopprogramma' at NATIN, as the course is officially named, is the result of a collaboration between Staatsolie, the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, NATIN, the Surinamese business community and the international oil companies (IOCs) active in Suriname. President Chandrikapersad Santokhi today launched the 'Oil & Gas Kopprogramma'. The head of state and Staatsolie's CEO Annand Jagesar have emphasized the importance of training for the country and its citizens for maximizing the benefits of the development of the Surinamese offshore oil and gas industry.
On 31 October, thirty students will start with classes. The group consists of NATIN graduates in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and process engineering, who have been selected through a transparent procedure. The course focuses specifically on the development of knowledge and skills required to perform work in the oil and gas industry and related sectors.
The 'Oil & Gas Kopprogramma' lasts a year and a half and is divided into three six-month phases. In the first phase, the professional level of the participants is upgraded to international standards. In the second phase, specific oil and gas subjects are teached. The program is concluded with an internship.
The program is part of the NATIN Upgrade Project, for which Staatsolie took the initiative in 2021 from a local content development viewpoint. Together with partners, the setting up of a Oil & Gas stream at NATIN has started to take shape. Staatsolie and the IOCs have also provided the equipment for the practical lessons.
The intention is that after approximately three years the program will be integrated into the regular 4-year NATIN program. The upgrade project will further upgrade infrastructure and the organization so that it is more focused on the needs of the business. Ultimately, NATIN will have to develop into an world class secondary vocational education institute in Suriname and the region.
Local content can be described as the extent to which Surinamese companies and citizens participate in the economic activities entailed by the offshore finds. This concerns the supply of local goods and services and the filling of jobs by Surinamese citizens. Staatsolie is convinced that the 'Oil & Gas Kopprogramma' and in a few years' time the Oil & Gas stream of NATIN will ensure that the number of Surinamese and Surinamese companies that can supply products and services to the offshore oil and gas industry will increase.
President Chandrikapersad Santokhi and a student unveil a billboard.
Confidence in our own abilities
