UK oil and gas academy Opito has entered a new partnership with the University of East Anglia (UEA) to launch a bespoke graduate programme.

A new bursary scheme has been established to encourage oil and gas firms working in the region to boost the skill-sets of their employees through subsidised training.

Liz Davis-Smith, the Academy skills and learning development regional manager, said the new initiative will allow graduates to thrive in a highly competitive industry.

"There's a gap between leaving university and moving into the workplace and this course offers a link to fill that shortfall," she commented.

Opito has also recently won praise for its partnership with Forth Valley College, where it developed a new training programme to re-skill workers employed in mechanical and engineering sectors in the Falkirk and Grangemouth area.

Group chief executive David Doig explained that the focus of the training programme is to provide practical, accredited and transferable skill-sets that will allow workers to find a place in the oil and gas industry.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development