A new batch of 52 trainee engineers has successfully completed the Dangote Petroleum Refinery Graduate Trainee Programme and is set to be inducted as employees at the refinery.
The engineers, specializing in Chemical Engineering, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering, concluded their training with a presentation and defense of their final projects before the refinery’s management over the weekend.
This group, Batch 10, joins hundreds of engineers who have previously undergone the Graduate Engineer Training Programme at the world-class Lagos-based refinery, which began even before the refinery’s completion.
The engineers, divided into groups, presented their projects and were questioned by refinery management on their learnings and innovations.
Manas Banergie, Head of Operations at Dangote Petroleum Refinery, who represented the company’s Vice President of Oil and Gas, Mr. Devakumar Edwin, congratulated the new employees and expressed hope that the program had provided them with valuable insights into their future roles.
Banergie emphasized that the refinery prioritizes innovation over maintenance, stating that no one is trained to be a maintenance manager, but rather an improvement manager, focusing on continuous innovation.
Dr. Ebele Oputa, the programme coordinator and Assistant General Manager of Human Asset Management at Dangote Petroleum Refinery, explained that the engineers underwent two years of hands-on training in Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronics Engineering. The program was designed to blend theoretical knowledge with practical experience to enhance their leadership and professional skills.
Dr. Oputa highlighted the importance of the training in fostering practical skills, building confidence, and preparing the engineers for the workforce’s challenges. She further noted that the program offers networking opportunities with industry professionals, helping the engineers to set career goals and develop the skills necessary to achieve them.
The program, which recruits engineers right after their NYSC service, includes a five-phase recruitment process. Trainees are under 30 years of age at the time of recruitment and undergo induction, observation, equipment training, hands-on training, and plant-specific training. They also complete presentations, written exams, and project work during the program, culminating in a performance appraisal that determines their confirmation as full staff of the refinery.
The trainee engineers expressed their gratitude to the management for the opportunity and pledged to uphold the confidence placed in them, excited about the prospect of becoming part of the world’s largest single-train refinery.
