PTDF Grills 600 MSc, Ph.D Overseas Scholarship Candidates in Rivers
From MAUREEN DICK, Port Harcourt
The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has interviewed 600 shortlisted Masters and Doctorate Degree qualified candidates for the 2024/2025 Postgraduate Overseas Scholarship Scheme in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday.
The scheme said candidates who scale through the rigorous selection process would be sent to elite tertiary institutions abroad, especially in the United Kingdom.
Speaking to journalists outside the venue, the General Manager (Projects), PTDF, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwokike, said the purpose of the initiative was to provide Nigerian students with the intellectual foundation and skills needed to participate actively in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
She added that the students following their training abroad would return to the country to bridge identified gaps in the oil and gas industry with their expertise.
She said: “The overseas scholarship scheme is a scheme done by PTDF to bridge identified skills gaps within the oil and gas industry, our mandate as you know is capacity building in the oil and gas industry and we have been mandated to train Nigerians in the different skills and vocations in the oil and gas industry.
“So, we are giving out these scholarships to Nigerians for them to be trained in top universities abroad, especially in the UK, so that they can come back and contribute positively to the oil and gas industry.
“The overseas scholarship scheme is well thought out and implemented, and we have been able to fill these gaps over the years.
“The identified gaps are in engineering, geo sciences, environmental studies and renewable energy studies.”
Mrs. Nwokike stated that 600 shortlisted students would be grilled in the Port Harcourt centre for the South-South zone of the country, adding that the selection interview exercise is billed to happen across the six geo-political zones simultaneously.
“We are expecting 600 candidates that we are interviewing for this center in Port Harcourt and it is done in the six geo-political zones of the country and it’s done simultaneously.”
On his part, the Port Harcourt Centre Team Lead for the Oversea Scholarship Interview Programme, Mr. Ere Iyalla, said the 600 students were shortlisted based on their ordinary level and undergraduate performance.
He added that research proposal and statement of purpose that fit the needs of the oil and gas industry were also considered.
He further disclosed that the number of successful students for the scheme would be dependent on the availability of funds at the disposal of PTDF.
“But, the criteria we use, first, we look at the candidate’s credentials, how good you have scored in WAEC and undergraduate years and research proposal and statement of purpose, how it fits into the needs of the industry.
“We look at the person’s professional membership, the candidate must have some active participation in your profession. That brings you closer to practice.
“We have about 600 candidates in this centre. The selection process is depending on the availability of funds. It will determine the number of people we select.”
Ends.