Staff Writer
McDermott and the Petroleum Training and Education Fund (Petrofund) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on academic and industrial training initiatives in Namibia’s upstream oil and gas sector.
The partnership will align with international standards to give Namibian students, job seekers, and service providers access to training, mentorship, and employment opportunities. It aims to build technical skills in engineering, fabrication, operations, and project management to prepare the local workforce for roles in the country’s growing offshore energy industry.
“This MoU furthers our commitment to developing local content and building a sustainable oil and gas workforce in Namibia,” said Mahesh Swaminathan, McDermott’s senior vice president for Subsea and Floating Facilities.
“By investing in the next generation of Namibian talent, we help prepare them to lead future projects as Namibia emerges as a key player in Africa’s energy landscape.”
Petrofund chief executive officer Nillian Mulemi said the collaboration supports the fund’s mission to build Namibia’s capacity to participate in the upstream oil and gas industry.
“Our partnership with McDermott supports Petrofund’s mandate to build the capacity of Namibia’s workforce and service providers to participate in the emerging opportunities within the country’s upstream oil and gas industry,” she said.
Mulemi added that partnerships with international service companies promote knowledge transfer and exposure to global best practices.
“Capacity-building collaborations with international service companies promote the exchange of global best practices and technical expertise with local talent, thereby positioning Namibia’s workforce and service providers to play active roles across the full value chain of the upstream industry, while driving and sustaining economic growth in the country,” she said.
The initiative aims to support Namibia’s oil and gas development goals while promoting inclusive participation in the energy value chain.
McDermott is a global engineering and construction company operating in more than 30 countries. Petrofund is a statutory body established in 1992 to enhance capacity within Namibia’s upstream petroleum sector.
