The Institute of Petroleum and Management (IPeM) has over the weekend in a one day seminar schooled youth and Members of the Latter-Day Saints in the Eastend of Freetown on attaining industrial education in a contemporary standard.
The seminar which took place at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at Shell Old Road Kissy, is according to IPeM Project Proponent, Alex Bangura one of those activities that will precedes IPeM Sierra Leone’s First Student Conference which is to be held in December with the theme Managing our resources: potential opportunities and challenges.
According to Bangura- Petroleum Upstream, who gave the pedagogy and conceptualization, IPeM thought it fit that if Sierra Leone has to move forward in terms of development it begins with our association stating that is why they have decided to be organizing academic sessions with religious institutions.
He said they have decided to start with Latter-Day Saints in the Eastern part of the Western district and it will extend to other churches and mosques in the country.
He said IPeM has decided to come forward and partner with other institution so that they can be able to provide programmes that will contribute to the youth of this country especially those coming from high school and others who are concerned so that they will take interest in industrial learning.
Bangura said IPeM is preaching industrial revitalization stating that the human resource base of this country is severely challenged looking at it in a decade’s time.
He said Sierra Leone has not been able to tap into the resources in terms of returns stating that is why they have come with the initiative to let the young people know and realize the importance of their natural resources and to manage what they have as a nation.
Bangura said he need not overemphasize on the trend of employability in Sierra Leone to a wider extent that after the inception of African Minerals and other extractive Companies in Sierra Leone, some Sierra Leoneans wanting to gain employment in those sectors were not being employed “because we have not been able to measure up to their expectation especially areas of qualification they are looking forward to.” He said this had a negative impact on the economy.
During the seminar, Bangura focused on four thematic areas including global demand for industrial qualification, and Moderating employment challenges using industrial approach among others.
Bishop Nabieu Kamara, student of IPem gave his testimony about the institute and his course while the participant including senior members of the Latter-Day Saint gave their own input and thanked IPeM for their education.
IPeM caters for career development in the middle man-power sector and offers Petroleum and Energy Management, Natural Resources Management, Mass Media and Communication, Public Administration, International Marketing among other courses which are certified by United Kingdom accreditation.
By Emmanuella Kallon
Tuesday August 09, 2016