Scots firm to train oil workers in China

A SCOTTISH company is to train the next generation of China’s oil and gas workers in a deal reached during First Minister Alex Salmond’s visit to the Far East.

Quality Qualifications International (QQI), the international division of Ayr-based JB Management, has signed an agreement with Shandong Chamber of Commerce for Petroleum (CCIOC). QQI will deliver training and development in CCIOC’s training college in Dongying, the oil and gas capital of Shandong Province.

Salmond has been joined by Scottish Development International (SDI) chief executive Anne MacColl on a trade visit to China. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in Shandong between Bill Ure, managing director of QQI and Xie Chuan Li, chief secretary of CCOIC.

QQI, which employs 20 people in Scotland, expects the agreement to boost its ambitions to increase annual turnover to over £2 million over the next three years.

Dongying has 40 years experience in oilfield technology and is host to China’s second largest oilfield. The city’s oil and gas workforce has high levels of staffing requirements and an oil and gas training centre is under development.

QQI was introduced to the Shandong chamber through SDI last month, following a mission to Shandong in 2010, led by Mark Newlands, head of SDI’s education sector. The organisations were matched to discuss a potential collaboration and subsequent discussions have led to the development of the MoU.

Salmond said: “This is great news for a Scottish company and for Scotland overall. The agreement will see valuable knowledge of our oil and gas technology being shared with CCIOC training college and is a clear demonstration of the strong links which continue to grow between ourselves and Shandong Province.