Siemens starts training of 600 Egyptian engineers and technicians

Siemens has kicked off the first batch of the company’s commitment to train 600 Egyptian engineers and technicians – in collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy. Through this training program, Siemens aims to enable young Egyptian talents to enhance their professional and vocational competencies, building local experts in the energy industry over the next years.

The first trainee group has started on April 3 and consists of 50 white and blue-collar Egyptians who will be mainly responsible for the operation of three gas-fired combined cycle power plants of Siemens, located at Beni Suef, Burullus and New Capital.

“With this training we are demonstrating our long-term commitment to the energy industry and our determination to build a pipeline of experts for Egypt’s future of energy,” said Janina Kugel, Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG and CHRO. “Siemens has made significant investments to develop learning and training capabilities of local talents. The build-up of local knowledge resources will have a positive long-term ripple effect on Egypt’s society: Those who have received the training will pass on their skills to the next generation.”

The program will take six months for the technicians and engineers whereby they go through multiple vocational trainings in locations in Egypt and Germany. While the training is simulating ‘real-life’ field conditions, the two core areas of the program are technical and behavioral skills. A major focus is to equip technicians who are new to the power industry with the complete skill set for power plant operation and maintenance to be able to run the mega-sized plants with utmost efficiency.

Another priority is to trigger a paradigm shift on how the trainees interact and behave in the work place. Modules tackling psychological and communication aspects as well as language, management, leadership and supervisory competences are integral parts of the program, in addition to Health and Safety, in line with the “Zero Harm Policy” of Siemens.

This is the beginning of a series of qualification programs geared for Egyptians. Siemens also plans to train field-service Egyptian technicians for the company’s wind parks in Egypt as well as production staff for their rotor blade manufacturing facility in the country.

Aligned with the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy and the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company, Siemens applied a strict recruiting process, focusing on graduate achievement, proficiency in English as well as domain know-how and experience.

For further information and press pictures on Siemens Megaprojects in Egypt, please see: http://www.siemens.com/entry/eg/en/egypt-megaproject/