General Electric (GE) has sent the first batch of 15 newly recruited Nigerian technicians to Brazil for training in the assembly and test of subsea equipment. This is in furtherance of its commitment to create jobs, build skills and ensure technology transfer in its operations in Nigeria and beyond.
Uzo Nwagwu, chief operating officer GE Oil and Gas who made this known in Lagos also disclosed that over the next months, the team will proceed to Aberdeen for the next phase of training in GE’s Bridge of Don manufacturing facility where they will receive further hands-on exposure to subsea equipment manufacturing activities.
According to Uzo, “the trainees include three manufacturing engineers and twelve technicians who fill form the core team for assembly and testing of subsea equipment. GE is investing approximately $3.6 million in the training and development of these employees.”
The GE Oil and Gas COO disclosed that since their recruitment in April, all 15 trainees have been engaged in rigorous training programs which include the GE New Employee Orientation training (NEO), and a 90-day assimilation training programme in GE’s Port Harcourt office and workshops trainings at the Onne facility.
These trainings geared towards providing a pipeline of talents and resources for GE’s manufacturing and assembly facility in Calabar. GE has already announced a $1 billion investment – $250million of which is earmarked for the capital expenditure on the facility alone. When completed, this will make Nigeria a manufacturing and assembly for Oil and Gas and Power across West Africa and beyond.
