PTDF inaugurates committee to operationalise Port Harcourt skills centre

The Federal Government, via the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), has officially named a committee tasked with establishing the operational framework and tailored curriculum for the Centre for Skills Development and Training in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The committee's inauguration took place in Abuja on Thursday, with Executive Secretary Shuaibu Aliyu leading the ceremony.

The committee's primary objectives include reviewing the centre's existing systems, pinpointing operational shortcomings, and suggesting measures to maximize the facility's utility. Aliyu emphasized that the centre, which is nearly 98% complete, offers a variety of amenities such as an administrative complex, auditorium, library, hostels, staff accommodations, a canteen, and infrastructure for power and water supply.

The centre is designed to deliver competency-based vocational training, along with internationally recognized certifications, in fields including welding and fabrication, electrical work, industrial safety, automobile maintenance, and heavy-duty equipment upkeep. The committee's responsibilities encompass formulating operational policies and management frameworks, establishing competency-based curricula that align with industry standards, and proposing training, assessment, and certification protocols.

Additionally, the committee is tasked with creating pathways for internships, apprenticeships, employment, and entrepreneurship, as well as forging connections with government entities, regulators, educational institutions, professional bodies, operators, and service companies.