12 July 2006
“My family and neighbours were very pleased to hear that a person from their district got admitted to the Yemen LNG training programme”, Ali Saleh Al-Hanash, a secondary school graduate from Shabwa, stated at a reception marking the completion of the first training milestone for group 1 and welcoming group 2 of trainees.

Equipped to meet world-class training requirements, Yemen LNG’s Training Centre was launched in April 2006. The aim is to provide accepted trainees with an intensive technical training to be able to operate what will be the most advanced industrial plant ever built in Yemen. The first two intakes of (134) trainees are following an 18-month training programme and the successful candidates will be ready in 2008 to take part in the commissioning of the plant. The training programme includes intensive language training, hands-on technical training, and on-the-job practical training at existing LNG plants around the world in order to gain real-time experience and to complete the training programme.

Yemen LNG’s General Manager, Mr. Joël Fort , underscored the importance of the Centre which he emphasised “was established within Yemen LNG’s commitment to Yemenise its workforce and to build the competences of Yemeni citizens”.

In attendance were a number of government and non-government officials who praised the confidence acquired by group 1 of trainees in presenting themselves in English at the reception as a result of only 3 months of linguistic orientation. “We are proud to see the successful conclusion of the first milestone of training which is only one step in the long road towards professional accomplishment in such a strategically important project”, stated Mr.Ibrahim Abulhoum, a chief gas official at the Ministry of Oil and Minerals.

Feeling the beat of traditional Yemeni music, the evening was enhanced with dozens of trainees joining their Training Centre chief, Mr. Christian Auge, in the performance of a unique Lahji dance.

Reflecting on their first piece of achievement and envisioning their future roles and responsibilities, the trainees expressed their appreciation and keenness to contribute to the success of the company’s future operations. “While acknowledging the level of stress and responsibility, we believe that the help we are getting from our instructors, the training centre team and the management makes us better vested to take on such challenging tasks,” Saleh, a senior trainee, said on behalf of trainees. As such, in both joy and seriousness, the evening came to a conclusion leaving young admitted trainees one step closer to the fulfilment of their professional career and goals.