Determined to bridge the technical manpower gap in the power sector, Sahara Power Group has trained and released another set of 38 young engineers into the power market.
This set of engineers will help to fill the gap being created by the aging workforce in the industry. They have also brought the total number of engineers trained so far to 198 in the last five years.
The training which came under the company’s programme called Sahara Graduate Engineering programme (GEP) was intended to provide one year practical and innovative trainings for fresh graduates from the Nigerian universities, especially Electrical and mechanical graduates.
Through this, they are able to acquire the skills to operate in the power network.
The GEP is an annual capacity building initiative of the power group jointly organised by its Egbin Power Plc and First Independent Power Limited (FIPL) in collaboration with the National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN).
The new graduates,who were offered certificates during the graduation ceremony in Lagos are not restricted to work for the company.
Kola Adesina, group managing director of Sahara Power Group, while speaking at the event, said the trainees were selected out of over 8,500 applicants after a very rigorous process, adding that they were chosen from various fields of engineering profession including electrical, chemical, electronic and mechanical.
He said: “Over the past 12 months, they have embarked on intensive classroom training and hands-on activities across Power Generation, Operations, Distribution, Transmission, Electricity and Commercial Awareness.
“These rigorous sessions led by seasoned power experts have given our graduates a strategic understanding of the entire value chain of the Nigerian Power Sector.
“I am confident that this foundation will empower our future power experts to disrupt and transform the sector as they progress in their careers.”
According to him, the GEP has birthed several success stories in the past four years and has produced 198 engineers who are driven by innovation and passion to light up Africa.
He said he was confident that the programme will remain a robust platform for developing the next generation of power experts that will ensure Sahara Power Group continues to bring energy to life in Nigeria and Africa.
“Since 2014, Sahara Power Group has recruited over 130 graduate engineers in line with our commitment to empower the youth and develop local capacity in the power sector,” he added.
The Sahara Power boss charged the new graduates to be focused in life and use lessons and skills acquired during the training to add value to the society particularly to the Nigerian power sector.
Ahmed Nagode, director -general of NAPTIN, said the GEP was a very important and fundamental programme in the career of a professional engineer in the power sector.
“It is a programme that bridges the gap between academic qualification of BSC/HND in Electrical and Mechanical engineering and the skills required to operate on the power networks,” Nagode said.
He congratulated the graduates for adding another profile to their Curriculum Vitae, urging them “to be good Alumni of NAPTIN and ensure that you are better industry players by giving back to Sahara Power the gains of this investment on your competence.”
Olusola Bello
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