57 students graduate from training programme

TOTAL OF 57 students, who underwent a four-year apprentice training programme at the Western Traineeship Programme (WTP), graduated at a short ceremony over the weekend.

The students were also awarded certificates by the University of Mines and Technology (UMAT), which tutored the students in the courses.

The students undertook courses such as plant installation, fluid transmission, pneumatics, maintenance planning, and plant installation among others.

The reason behind the establishment of the WTP was to provide Ghana with skilled tradesmen, competent enough to cope with the high demands of the trade skills required for the mining sector and its associate industries.

A minimum qualification of intermediate City and Guilds Certificates in Motor Vehicle, Mechanics Work and Mechanical Engineering among others is required for one to be admitted into the WTP.

Giving the background of the programme, Mr. James Tettevi, the Programme Training Coordinator, noted that the vision of the apprenticeship training programme was to see it grow from strength to strength, so that advanced courses in maintenance could be introduced in future, to enable past apprentices acquire higher knowledge and skills in repair and maintenance of plant and equipment used in the mining sector.

He disclosed that since 2002, a total of $33,944.64 worth of tools, computers and its accessories had been bought and presented to the UMAT to be used for the running of the programme.

He further disclosed that next year, a total of 11 Integrated Plant Mechanics and eight Automative Electrical and Electronics apprentices would be engaged by six mining companies, based on the catchments areas they are operating.

That, he explained, had been practiced since the inception of the programme, and had led to indigenous inhabitants of the areas being trained and given employment.

The programme is sponsored by Connell Mining Limited, in collaboration with other mining companies.