A first-time agreement signed between the global publishing, research and consultancy firm Oxford Business Group (OBG) and the Ghana
National
Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) is set to support the country’s drive to foster closer ties between education providers and the hydrocarbons industry.
Under the agreement, students and faculty members at the University of Ghana will be given online access to OBG’s library of reports on emerging economies for a three-year period.
Alex Mould, Chief Executive Officer at the GNPC, said awareness is growing in Ghana of the need to produce a well-trained local workforce for the hydrocarbons industry and its related fields.
“Jobs in the oil and gas industry are evolving because new technologies are always emerging and environmental regulations are constantly changing the face of the industry,” he said.
“While direct jobs in the industry are few, indirect and related jobs are many. We expect heightened activity next year and beyond.”
The GNPC plays a key role in highlighting skills gaps within Ghana’s oil and gas industry, and helping to fill them through a broad range of initiatives which include supporting curricula development and improving vocational training.
The corporation recently began offering scholarships to students embarking on training in both Ghanaian and international institutions under a newly-launched oil and gas learning foundation.
Mould said that collaborative ventures between the hydrocarbons industry and educational institutions are on the rise, with companies such as Schlumberger and Technip already providing the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and University of Ghana with educational resources.
“We expect more companies to support Ghana’s academic institutions by providing them with
tools
, equipment and materials that aid teaching and learning,” he said.
OBG’s Country Director, Aicha Larbi Daho Bachir, said that the Group and GNPC both recognise the importance of ensuring students are given an opportunity to acquire the technical skills and knowledge needed to participate in key areas of Ghana’s economy.
“Our forthcoming report on Ghana will chart the country’s latest developments, while looking at how its people can increase their contribution to economic growth,” she said.
“I’m delighted that by offering the University of Ghana’s students access to our reports and updates we will be supporting GNPC’S efforts to prepare young Ghanaians for the world of work.”
OBG’s collaboration with the GNPC forms part of the Group’s Academic Programme, which offers students a platform to read over 22,000 searchable articles featured in the firm’s reports.
OBG currently partners more than 60 universities and business schools worldwide as part of the programme, providing more than 10,000 students with access to its data.
The Report: Ghana 2014 will be a vital guide to many facets of the country, including its macroeconomics, infrastructure, banking and other sectoral developments. The publication, which marks OBG’s fourth year in Ghana, will be available in print or online.
