Namibia’s Petroleum Training and Education Fund (PETROFUND), in collaboration with Subsea7 and the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), have launched a skills-development initiative to prepare local talent for the country’s growing offshore oil and gas industry.
Three Namibian engineering graduates, Leonard Johannes, Erasmus Shikongo, and Rikardo Samuyumbe, have been awarded fully funded scholarships worth more than $40,000 to attend a specialized remote operated vehicle (ROV) pilot technician training program at the Netherlands Maritime University College in Malaysia.
ROV pilot technicians work in ultradeep offshore operations, where they operate and maintain ROVs in underwater environments that are too deep or hazardous for divers. After completion of the training, Subsea7 will provide the graduates with on-the-job training, integrate them into its global offshore workforce, and enroll them in its professional development program.
The company will also cover offshore safety certification and medical requirements, ensuring they are fully qualified to work in challenging subsea environments.