Tullow Uganda General Manager Jimmy Mugerwa said yesterday the company and its joint venture partners will not accommodate ill-skilled employees.
Tullow, CNOOC and Total in 2014 conducted an Industrial Baseline Survey for the Lake Albert Basin Development Project and outlined key skills and jobs required by the sector during different stages.
The survey said most of the jobs will be at technician level and the number will be very limited with a range of 11,000 to 15,000.
Mugerwa called for increased skills training for Ugandans based on the needs of the oil and gas industry as a strategy to enable Ugandans to take up the jobs on offer.
A number of technicians have been trained in preparation for the development stage in 2020 when first oil is expected out of the ground.
Tullow and partners said a major challenge relating to human resources is that some of those that have been trained are yet to be certified to comply with oil and gas standards.
The oil companies currently licensed in the country to undertake petroleum exploration, development and production are – China National Offshore Oil Corporation Uganda Limited (CNOOC (U) Ltd), Total E&P Uganda B.V and Tullow Uganda Operations Pty Limited and the latest entrants; Oranto Petroleum of Nigeria and Armour Energy of Australia.