The Porgera Joint Venture (PJV) has facilitated the first ever automotive electrical level three trade testing in PNG at the Porgera mine site.
The trade testing conducted from 16-18 March was overseen by the National Apprenticeship and Trade Testing Board (NATTB), the statutory body set up to certify trade personnel in the country.
Maintenance training technical specialist, Craig Reaks, said previously there were no set assessment instruments in place in the country to assess automotive electrical level 3.
Four PJV employees participated in the trade testing. PJV also recalled a former female employee, Jocelyn Yakopis, to undertake the same assessment after she had initially completed Levels 1 and 2 as an employee. This, according to Reaks, was an initiative of the company as it had a responsibility to ensure Yakopis completed her training.
The maiden trade testing has now paved way for automotive electrical trade assistants and trainees whose roles involve installation, diagnosis and repairs of electrical wiring and systems of mobile equipment, to become fully certified automotive electricians under a standard now in place for assessment and certification.
The five candidates were assessed in the areas of service and repair body management of a vehicle, air conditioning; demonstrating knowledge on fuel system; install vehicle security system; diagnose and repair an electrical fault, installation of an ancillary device; demonstrate knowledge of petrol and diesel engine operation.
The assessment process on site was also witnessed by Department of Works Senior Training Officer, Gregory Vamut, and Port Moresby Technical College Principal Instructor – Automotive Electrical Albert Linus.
Their role was to observe the conducting of the trade testing to establish similar trade tests for other trade personnel in the country.
Both acknowledged PJV for taking the lead to ensure an assessment instrument is in place for automotive electricians to become fully certified tradespersons.
“I’m happy to be here to see Porgera set the standard in place to get the trade assistants to become tradespersons, and for PNG as a whole to have a standard in place,” Vamut said.
Linus said he was very impressed with the set up for the trade testing.
NATTB Assistant Director Arthur Geno said the candidates have the skills and knowledge required as they have been in the field for a number of years, but it came back to certification.
“We are very happy that PJV has put its hand up to assist us during this process, because it’s for the future benefit of the country as well,” he stated.
A week prior from 12-14 March, PJV also conducted the Electrical Level 3 trade test for the first time in Porgera.
Ten (10) employees, including sole female and local Stephanie John, participated in the NATTB trade test which was overseen by Geno and NATTB officer Brian Clowes.
Geno and Clowes were assisted by some of the qualified PJV NATTB assessors to conduct the two assessments.
The assessment process complements PJV’s re-registration as a registered training organistaion with the National Training Council.
(Trainee tradesperson, Stephanie John, does fault finding on a three-phase motor control circuit during the Electrical Level 3 Trade Testing)