Gov’t training future generation for natural gas
11/21/2012 05:21
Energy and Water Ministry cooperating with Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry on worker education program.
Leviathan holds 453 billion cu.m. of gas. Photo: Albatross
As the natural gas industry prepares for a great expansion in Israel, government
authorities are pushing to create more training programs and generate a wealth
of skilled workers in the field.
The Energy and Water Ministry’s Natural
Gas Authority and the Vocational Training Division at the Industry, Trade and
Labor Ministry are collaborating to form a comprehensive training system for
such workers.
Recognizing the increased need for certified and skilled
professionals as new gas industries develop, the two authorities are calling on
public and private training firms, as well as higher education institutions, to
run relevant training courses, the Energy and Water Ministry said
Tuesday.
The team is in the process of identifying which institutions in
particular would be ideal for the training courses, and is only selecting those
that have ongoing relationships with international organizations specializing in
training natural gas personnel, according to the ministry.
Graduates of
the training courses will receive certificates recognized by the Industry, Trade
and Labor Ministry and will gain permission from the Energy and Water Ministry
to work in the country’s natural gas plants.
The Natural Gas Authority
and the Vocational Training Division have jointly mapped out some of the
principal occupations that will be necessary in the natural gas industry
process, from the moment the gas enters the country from an external provider to
when it gets to the consumer, according to the Energy and Water
Ministry.
The authorities will be ensuring that the highest of academic
standards and safety measures apply to the programs, the ministry
said.
The training of installers, operators and supervisors will be the
first step in the development of this skilled manpower set, according to Osnat
Shohat, senior coordinator of the Natural Gas Authority.
Shalom
Ben-Moshe, director of training and manpower development at the Industry, Trade
and Labor Ministry, stated that “we expect to train hundreds of professionals
already in the coming year.”