Boost for BFI’s 160 local trainees

Brunei Fertilizer Industries Sdn Bhd (BFI) reached another milestone yesterday with the signing of an Operation and Maintenance Training Agreement with Petronas Technical Training Sdn Bhd.

The signing ceremony at The Empire Hotel & Country Club was witnessed by Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah as the Chairman of BFI.

Also in attendance were Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy (Economy) Dato Seri Paduka Dr Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin, Deputy Minister of Education Datin Seri Paduka Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh, Malaysian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Ismail bin Haji Salam, senior government officials and representatives from the private sector.

The agreement was signed by CEO of BFI Mohammed S Baderkhan and CEO of Institut Teknologi Petroleum (INSTEP) Idris bin Ibrahim.

A press release stated that under the agreement, Petronas Technical Training Sdn Bhd will develop programmes and training for BFI’s technical trainees in the following disciplines: laboratory, operation, mechanical, electrical and instrumentation.

A total of 160 trainees, all of whom are Bruneians with higher national diploma or bachelor’s degree qualifications, have been selected to take part in the customised training programme to equip them with the specialised skillset required to operate and maintain BFI’s sophisticated Ammonia and Urea plant.

The trainees will first undergo classroom training in Brunei Darussalam before being assigned to INSTEP Petronas in Terengganu, Malaysia, for hands-on learning and thereafter to ASEAN Bintulu Fertilizer Sdn Bhd in Bintulu, Malaysia, for on-the-job training.

Upon successful completion of the training programme, the trainees will be awarded full-time employment with BFI and will join BFI’s workforce prior to the commencement of BFI’s operations.

According to the press release, the investment made by BFI to provide first-class training to Bruneians signifies the company’s commitment in developing local talent and providing capacity building opportunities to enhance new industry skillset.

BFI’s Ammonia and Urea plant, one of the largest fertiliser plants in the region, is located at a 55-hectare site in Sungai Liang Industrial Park. The plant is expected to start commercial production by the second quarter of 2021. It will produce 770,000 tonnes of Ammonia per year that will be converted to 1,365,000 tonnes per year of quality granulated fertiliser (Urea).

This project is one of the government’s key efforts in diversifying the country’s downstream oil and gas industry and subsequently providing employment opportunities to the locals.

For the operation stage, BFI expects to generate 340 jobs for locals.

The BFI project will also present opportunities for local contractors and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through the provision of support services in the area of construction, maintenance, transport, logistics, catering, accommodation, among others.