Accra, Dec. 2, GNA- The Regional Maritime University (RMU), in collaboration with the Corporate Professional Industrial Training (CPI), Canada, has conducted an international welding testing for some participants who have undergone a 12-week training at the University.
The 24 participants took part in the training under the Newmont Community Training Programme aimed at equipping some Ghanaians with international welding and fabrication knowledge to enable them to compete globally.
Mr Francis Kofi Korsah, Head of Vocational Skills and Training Centre, RMU, said the training was a step to equipping citizens in modern welding and fabrication to match international standards.
“The training offered will put them at the top of the competition when it comes to welding and it will improve their standards and quality of work to enable them to become professionals,” he said.
Mr Korsah said the University had certified Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) instructors, who were also part of the training of the participants, and the CWB Certification was parallel with the American Welding Society (AWS) Certification, which is high in the welding fraternity.
He said individuals who had an interest in wielding or going through the training did not need any form of educational qualification as well as any knowledge to be able to get trained at RMU.
Mr Ron Nickel, CPI Director of Industrial Training, Canada, said RMU was the test Centre for the CWB, adding that the Bureau also had a reciprocal agreement with AWS.
Mr Nickel said the training had been very successful, indicating that it was a very good partnership between the two organisations, using the facility was a fantastic welding laboratory and “we look forward to doing more work with them in the future.”
Mr Kamil Mohammed, Country Manager for CPI training, said the project was a game-changer for welding training in Ghana.
He said previously individuals, who went through such training, were not able to obtain international certification in the country.
“If the project becomes a success any Ghanaian who will undergo training in any of the Centres of the University will be able to get an international certification,” he added.
Mr Mohammed said with the certificate, Ghanaians could go anywhere in the world to seek jobs in the field of welding.
Mr Hussein Abugri, Regional Human Resource and Project Manager, Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, said the Company was currently developing a new mine at Yamfo called ‘the Ahafo-North mine project’ and that construction would commence early next year.
He said they decided to partner with CPI to empower locals within the area to take advantage of any opportunities in the mining sector to be employed by the contractors working on the project.
Mr Abugri said there would be a lot of construction works from the mining and processing infrastructure, among others.
He said there were other models such as Crane Operator training, rigging, and carpentry, among others that would be undertaken in due course to build the capacity of the people living in the catchment areas of the project.
Mr Abugri said they were targeting 168 to go through the various models, adding, “we have just signed an agreement with the local communities to make sure that at least 53 per cent of employees will be people from the local communities.”
“We expect that about 95 per cent of the company’s workers to Ghanaians,” he added.
GNA