The Saudi arm of Rotary Engineering and the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) have signed a memorandum of understanding to build a new oil and gas training institute in Saudi Arabia.

Under the terms of the agreement, Rotary Engineering, which is based in Singapore, will work with the TVTC to establish the Petroleum & Petrochemicals Training Institute in order to boost local participation in the country's colossal oil industry.

Commenting on the deal, Abdul Aziz Al Mandil, managing director for Rotary Arabia, said: "Rotary has a wealth of experience in providing training for technical skill sets, and these courses could also be added to the institute in the future."

The institute is expected to accept its first students in September of this year, providing a boost for local employment and also strengthening Saudi Arabia's refining and processing industry by providing a full complement of downstream training courses.

Companies working in the Saudi oil and gas industry are required to demonstrate a commitment to its Saudization programme, which aims to ensure nationals can find work in the sector.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development