Weir Oil & Gas gets OPITO accredited qualifications in Iraq

Weir Oil & Gas has successfully achieved accreditation from OPITO, the global skills organisation for the energy industry, to provide occupational training qualifications from the Weir Oil & Gas centre of manufacturing and engineering excellence in Southern Iraq.

Weir Oil & Gas is the first training provider in Iraq to receive approval to deliver OPITO-accredited SCQF Level 4 and 5 occupational training qualifications in basic maintenance practices and maintenance practices for instrument, control, and mechanical operations. The local delivery of these training programs will help ensure the availability of an in-country, technically skilled, knowledgeable and safety-conscious workforce.

Weir Oil & Gas provides manufacturing, services, repairs and training to companies using pumps, motors, rotating equipment and more. It is a leading supplier of pressure containment products and services for drilling and production in the oil and gas industry. Over the past three years, Weir Oil & Gas has delivered more than 15,000 combined internal and external training hours, mostly to Iraqi personnel, encompassing classroom-based learning and on-the-job training.

With a constant presence in Iraq since 2014, Weir Oil & Gas has increased its local content through skills development and the structured training of local nationals, focusing on oil and gas services professionals.

Ronan Le Gloahec, President of Weir Oil & Gas Eastern Hemisphere, said: “Our partnership with OPITO will allow us to provide unparalleled local content and training for oil and gas personnel in Iraq, creating a solid and necessary foundation for companies operating in the region to flourish.”

Richard Roberts, Regional Vice-President, MEA of OPITO, said: “Iraq’s success as an oil and gas producer will, in part, be reliant on its ability to build a strong local talent pool through ensuring the availability of vocational technical skills in-country that are commensurate with international benchmarks. Our collaboration with Weir Oil & Gas is an important step forward in ensuring the delivery of accredited training programs in Iraq and the Middle East and will help safeguard the continued development of a competent energy sector workforce.”