CNOOC Uganda Limited has successfully completed its Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) programme, demonstrating its commitment to developing Uganda’s human capital as part of its long-term talent development mission.
A total of 100 beneficiaries received internationally recognised certifications in five key technical areas: electrical maintenance, electrical installation, pipefitting, scaffolding, and rigging, with 20 trainees graduating in each category.
The participants included instructors and students from 12 vocational training institutes across Uganda, including four based in the Albertine Region.
The two-month programme, delivered by Zetta Energy Ltd in collaboration with the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) Namanve on behalf of CNOOC Uganda Limited, combined theoretical instruction, occupational health and safety training, and intensive practical sessions.
Its goal was to strengthen Uganda’s technical skills base and increase the pool of internationally certified talent, while promoting safer practices in vocational training institutions.
The initiative also focused on knowledge transfer, ensuring instructors are equipped to pass skills on to future generations.
At the graduation ceremony, Eric Jumba, National Content Manager at CNOOC Uganda Limited, congratulated the graduates. He emphasised that the programme demanded technical precision, a strong safety culture, and a deep understanding of global industry standards.
Jumba highlighted that the initiative reflects the company’s wider vision of “Energy for a Better Future” and supports efforts to build a skilled workforce capable of meeting local and international industry demands.
One graduate, Komurubuga Mathew, an instructor at St. Simon Vocational Training Institute in Hoima, expressed gratitude to CNOOC Uganda Limited, explaining the training had significantly enhanced his rigging knowledge and that he would now pass this on to his students.
He noted that such an internationally recognised course would have been financially unattainable without the sponsorship.
Beyond the ECITB programme, CNOOC Uganda Limited continues to implement various community development and capacity-building projects, particularly in the Albertine Region.
These include Best Performers Awards supporting over 1,400 students in Hoima and Kikuube districts, and 11 scholarships enabling Ugandans to pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the China University of Petroleum.
The company has also trained 500 welders and 300 heavy goods vehicle drivers and supported healthcare centres with modern medical equipment.
Additionally, CNOOC Uganda Limited has introduced livelihood restoration projects, such as rice and millet demonstration gardens benefiting over 700 people, and promotes environmental sustainability through tree planting campaigns aimed at creating a green ecological oilfield.
Through these efforts, CNOOC Uganda Limited reaffirms its commitment to national content development, skills transfer, and sustainable growth, aligned with Uganda’s development goals and the company’s mission to create long-term value for the country and its people.
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