The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has announced revamping its training arm – the ADNOC Technical Institute, renaming it as the ADNOC Technical Academy (ATA).
The UAE oil giant, in a press release, claims the move affirms ‘the company’s commitment to investing in, and cultivating, young Emiratis’ professional development and building the next generation of ADNOC technicians and operators’.
As part of ATA’s revamp, over the past year several of its technical training, services and offerings have been reviewed and enhanced – from curricula and operations to training facilities and recruitment criteria – further providing students with theoretical and practical training.
“The ADNOC Technical Academy has been a center of excellence for nearly 40 years, equipping young Emiratis with the education and technical training needed to forge successful careers as specialists with ADNOC,” Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and ADNOC Group CEO, said at the academy’s launch event.
The ATA’s in-class and simulated trainings are designed to equip students with a variety of mechanical, technical and instrumental skills needed to control oil and gas industry processes. The academy has also introduced a new two and half years-long programme that combines a year of classroom learning, followed by a year and half of on-the-job training.
This new curriculum integrates the latest technological advancements to ensure ATA graduates are well-prepared to work in ADNOC’s modern operational environments.
Based in Al Shawamekh, Abu Dhabi, the ADNOC Technical Academy has a large campus, with educational, technical and recreational facilities, in addition to a hostel that houses more than 500 students. It employs qualified educators and instructors from around the globe to ensure that students receive high-level general education and technical training before entering ADNOC’s workforce.
“As ADNOC delivers on its 2030 smart-growth strategy, our employees will remain our most precious asset. To meet upstream, midstream and downstream demand for highly skilled professional operators and technicians, ATA will train more than 350 students per year. These roles are of utmost importance to our future success, ensuring that our sites continue to run safely, efficiently and reliably. In line with UAE Leadership’s focus on empowerment and development of youth, ADNOC Technical Academy remains committed to developing young Emiratis into the UAE’s technicians and operators of the future,” Al Jaber was quoted as saying.
Established in 1978, the ADNOC Technical Academy has provided education and technical training to more than 5,000 UAE nationals, who, upon graduation, joined ADNOC’s workforce. Many of those who graduated now hold senior positions within the company, including Dr Mohamed Taleb Al Menhali, who has been serving as manager of the Academy since 2016.
