UNIBEN, FUPRE, 2 Others To Commence Welding Engineering Course Next Year
Four Federal universities will begin offering Welding Engineering next year. The institutions are: University of Benin, Edo State; Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta state; Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger state; and Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Bauchi State.
The course is being introduced following the intervention of the Petroleum Development Fund (PTDF) through its welding capacity development programme as well as an institutional welding and fabrication capacity audit for universities.
Chief Solomon Edebiri, President, Nigeria Institute of Welding (NIW) who made the announcement while flaging-off the Advanced and Specialised Welding Local Course in Benin City, said that the institute is collaborating with the universities to draw up curriculum for the programme.
He noted that the availability of competency in welding, inspection, fitting and machining and welding engineering complete the quality loop in welding construction, fabrication and manufacturing.
The NIW president said the 19 beneficiaries of the course held in Istanbul, Turkey will enhance Nigeria’s quest to fully domesticate welding and fabrication activities in the country.
“PTDF-NIW collaboration is about to give Nigeria this wonderful gift that will help in the realization of technological independence, export based country and we cannot stop but continue to thank PTDF and its management for this patriotic efforts, and it is my hope that as soon as these candidates conclude their programme, the industry will be ready for them”.
On his part, the Executive Secretary, PTDF, Mr. Demi Ajayi, said the Welders Training and Certification programme is one of the cardinal programmes of the fund which was development several years ago to fill the welding and fabrication gaps in the petroleum industry.
He said the programme has since produced over 1,200 indigenous technicians, welding specialists and engineers in plate, fillet and pipe welding.
One of the beneficiaries of the course, Atoju Ejafa, said the training at Turkey was rewarding.
“This trip has opened our eyes to a new method, a new way of teaching and a new way of life which bonded us together as one body,” he said.
