The Indiana County Technology Centre (ICTC) has won a contract which will see it train 2,500 staff for Halliburton by 2010.

Once the trainees have completed the course, the US energy giant will then send them to work in stations along the eastern seaboard, from Canada to Georgia.

Mary Yarnal, the adult education coordinator at ICTC, told the Indiana Gazette that the new training and development programme has been launched to cover attrition in the company's workforce.

The intensive oil and gas training course lasts ten days, during which time workers are involved in 80 hours of practical and classroom-based learning.

"They are entry-level people. They go in all directions based on how well they do and what their interests are. They are exposed to all the basics of Halliburton work in this area," Ms Yarnal stated.

In addition to the new energy training courses, the ICTC also offers a host of practical adult education courses focused on different industries including mining, ICT and electrical engineering.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development