The NESC Technical Institute has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the National Petroleum Marketing Company Limited to partner with the Point Lisas Industrial Apprenticeship Programme (PLIAP).
Manager of the PLIAP initiative, Solomon Mayers, said through the MOA, 11 trainees will get real-life experience in the field, bridging the gap between practical and theoretical training.
“The programme is structured in such a way that students gain experience, hands-on experience. It’s a working programme. We take graduates into the programme so the students don’t have any classroom time to go back to. So what we intend to do is build the bridge or fix the gap between vocational schools and the industry.”
TTT News spoke with one of the apprentices, Krish Rajkumar, who said he has been working at NP with his fellow trainees for the last five months.
“We’re getting to actually perform the work we practised on at school. Basically, we call our equipment in school ‘dummy’ equipment because we don’t actually use it. But this equipment is real so I would say it’s great because we are actually getting to perform real hands-on work and experience, and we are getting to learn a little more because we have experienced workers working alongside us, and, in fact, we are working alongside them.”
Another apprentice, Naimah Gustave, also praised the programme.
“Well, as of right now I’ve only touched on road networks, so that’s what I’m doing as of right now, and I can’t lie, it’s sweet. Life nice. I never knew that it had so much – how to say it – had so much that NP does do in their day-to-day. Going to this station, the next station. One minute we’re in Barataria, next minute we’re in Arima. It’s a lot, and I have to say I am very grateful for this opportunity.”
The programme will provide work experience and instil professionalism and workplace etiquette.