The world’s largest producer of Liquefied Natural Gas, Qatargas has secured IChemE (Institution of Chemical Engineers) accreditation of its in-company training scheme.

The accreditation, the Institution’s first in Qatar, will run for an initial period of two years until December 2013.

IChemE director of qualifications and international development Neil Atkinson presented Sheikh Khalid Bin Abdulla Al-Thani, Chief Operating Officer – Engineering & Ventures of Qatargas, with an Accredited Company Training Scheme certificate at a reception in Doha on Monday. His Excellency John Hawkins, the British Ambassador to Qatar, as well as senior officials of Qatargas also attended the event.

Atkinson says that the team of IChemE assessors that reviewed the company’s training programme was impressed by the strong and enthusiastic support from senior management and enthusiastic and articulate trainee engineers: “It is clear that Qatargas plays a key role in the economy of Qatar as a world leader in LNG production and supporting relating industries involved.

“By committing to the professional development of its engineers, Qatargas sets a positive example to wider industry and the company’s training scheme ensures that its trainees are on the right path towards becoming Chartered Chemical Engineers,” says Atkinson.

Commenting on this achievement, the Sheikh Khalid Bin Abdulla Al-Thani said: “These accreditations underline Qatargas’ commitment to maintaining the highest international standards, while ensuring that we will have qualified and competent national engineers to manage our operations and contribute towards the continued success of Qatargas and the State of Qatar. It is also a clear indication that Qatargas provides the right environment and opportunities for young engineering graduates to develop their skills and excel in their profession. It is a matter of great pride for us that our standards are being recognised to be on a par with the best in the world.”

IChemE accredits company training schemes all over the world and throughout the chemical and process engineering sectors. Highly sought by employers and widely recognised by employees, accredited company training schemes help graduate trainees achieve Chartered Chemical Engineer status more quickly and effectively.

Qatar has a vibrant gas and affiliated downstream processes sector with heavy demand for chemical engineers and is widely considered to be one of the world’s wealthiest countries. Qatargas was established in 1984 and has an annual LNG production capacity of 42 million tonnes per annum (MTA).

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