CAIRO: The Oil and Gas Skills Company celebrated the graduation of the first group of petroleum engineers from Colorado University in the United States. In collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum, 25 engineers working at Khalda Petroleum Company attended a specialized, integrated nine-month program at Colorado University to equip them with practical skills that can be applied in their professional lives. "Training young cadres in the petroleum sector, in their respective specializations, is an essential aspect of the Ministry of Petroleum's strategy to preserve the evolution in the industry both on the domestic and international levels, Minister of Petroleum Sameh Fahmi said. The Oil and Gas Skills Company was established to develop human resources in the petroleum sector that comply with international standards. The company trains fresh graduates working in petroleum companies, equipping them with sufficient skills to penetrate the work force. The Integrated Petroleum Engineering Program (IPEP) comprises theoretical and practical studies with the aim of bridging the gap between academic study at universities and the practical needs of the petroleum industry. Students who train at Colorado University will receive credit hours that could go towards postgraduate programs. Following the success of this pilot training project, more petroleum companies are expected to send their young employees to the IPEP. "Training the youth and providing them with skills has become a national objective, not just in the petroleum sector, but also in the IT sector, the minister's office told Daily News Egypt. Egypt is focusing on training young graduates in their respective fields to compensate for a lack of practical skills development in the education system. This is also part of a larger plan to begin outsourcing Egypt's trained professionals in different sectors. Another agreement is currently in the works between the Ministry of Petroleum and the University of Aberdeen in Scotland to train geologists and geophysicists in the petroleum sector.
