With Nigeria currently facing a dearth in the workforce needed to man its power sector, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) has graduated 12 engineering interns to contribute to the sector.
Speaking at a ceremony in Abuja, the Managing Director (MD) of NDPHC, Chiedu Ugbo, said the programme which was started a year ago was put in place to provide youths with the needed skills to work in the industry.
Ugbo said, “We thought, as a management, we cannot employ the whole world to work in NDPHC, but there are very brilliant engineering graduates out there still looking for work, to pick some of these bright minds and send them to NDPHC power plants to equip them with practical skills that would enable them to face the future.
“We are happy that they have learnt a lot. I have received a number of good testimonials from the Chief Operating Officers (COOs) of the power plants, and we could see that you did well. All I can say is keep it up.”
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Speaking earlier, the Executive Director, Corporate Services, NDPHC, Nkechi Mba, said the young engineers were sent to NDPHC power plants located in Sapele, Calabar, Omotosho and Ihovbor in Benin.
She said that the interns over the period of “one year have not only honed their technical skills, but have also demonstrated remarkable resilience, innovation and dedication to the field of engineering.”
Mrs Mba noted that the programme was designed to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical industry experience, providing a robust platform for the graduates to develop competences in real world settings.
She further said that, “The power plants in Calabar, Omotosho, Sapele and Ihovbor serve as dynamic learning environments where our interns could immerse themselves in the complexities and challenges of power generation and distribution.”
Earlier, the General Manager, Human Resources, NDPHC, Olufunke Nwankwo, said, “Throughout their time with us they have engaged in hands-on projects, collaborated with experienced professionals and contributed to the continuous improvement of our operations. They have embraced the culture of safety, efficiency and sustainability that NDPHC stands for, ensuring that they are well-equipped to become the next generation of leaders in the power sector.”
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