PDO to employ 55 qualified Omani medics

Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has signed agreements with two contractors to employ more than 55 Omanis as qualified medics on rig sites.

Under the terms of the Memorandums of Collaboration (MOCs), PDO will train the nationals who will then secure work with Abraj Energy Services (AES) and KCA Deutag (KCAD) on the successful completion of their training.

The initiative is part of a wider move by PDO to Omanise all rig medical personnel across its entire operation.

PDO External Affairs and Value Creation Director Eng. Abdul-Amir bin Abdul-Hussein Al Ajmi signed the MOCs with AES Managing Director Abdullah Al Hadi and KCAD Country Manager David Troost at a virtual ceremony Thursday (3 June).

He said: “We are constantly striving with our contractors to identify meaningful and rewarding jobs for Omanis across the wide spectrum of our activities.

“The health and welfare of those working with us are paramount, and those employed through this new programme will take on the vital responsibility of caring for them in the field.

“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our partners for working with us to enable dozens of nationals to take up such important positions.”

The trainees will undergo familiarisation training with PDO for a period of two to five months, gaining the required knowledge and experience for the roles. Forty will then be employed by AES and a further 18 by KCAD on their rig sites.

Al Ajmi said: “We are expanding our job creation horizons by qualifying Omanis to meet the fixed and fluctuating workforce required to serve different market demands in the energy sector.

“Our National Manpower Supply (Emdad) team have succeeded in localising thousands of jobs to date and will continue to go the extra mile to ensure that more nationals find work in the energy sector and beyond.”

AES Managing Director Abdullah Al Hadi said: “We are proud to be part of PDO’s initiatives for offering job opportunities for national job seekers and localised medic positions at Abraj rig sites. This initiative will contribute to increasing the Omanisation percentage of the company from where it is currently at 92%.

“This training programme is in line with Abraj’s vision and commitment to delivering In- Country Value including creating job opportunities for local Omani nationals. We would like to extend our appreciation to PDO for funding this training and to every individual who played a role in making this co-operation possible”.

And KCAD Country Manager David Troost added: “After more than 50 years of being contracted by PDO, we continue to feel our responsibility to help the development of Oman. It fills us with joy that we are signing an MOU today in which we commit to hire and train 18 Omani medical staff to support our drilling rigs in the field”.

Previously, PDO had also signed two agreements for an on-job-training programme in health, safety and environment with the aim of providing 50 job opportunities for graduates in Arabian Industries Projects (AIP) and Special Technical Services (STS), in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour.

The agreements facilitate a six-month training programme for graduates with HSE Bachelor’s degrees from the Modern College of Business and Science and the International College of Engineering and Management.

Participants will be certified by OPAL upon successful completion of the programme and will be employed by the contractors.