Tafawoq programme graduates receive certificates

Twenty-three professionals yesterday received graduation certificates for successfully completing Tafawoq’s first learning programme ‘Essentials of Project Management’. Chairman of Tafawoq Joint Steering Committee and Qatar Petroleum’s (QP) director (Technical) Saad al-Muhannadi presented the certificates to the participants. The learning programme has provided the participants with a solid foundation of the principles, processes and practices of project management over the lifecycle of a capital investment project, QP and Qatar Shell said in a media statement yesterday. Saad al-Muhannadi said, “We have made a big step in Tafawoq by having the first learning programme ‘Essentials of Project Management’ delivered successfully in just seven months from signing the letter of intent between Qatar Petroleum and Qatar Shell. “The fact that the two companies are committed to the transfer of knowledge to the young generation will definitely pave the way towards establishing a matured profession in project management in the State of Qatar in support to Qatar’s National Vision 2030 and the wise direction of HH the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank HE the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr. Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada for giving us his guidance and support.” The course addressed a variety of aspects such as opportunity framing, governance, project assurance, planning, cost estimating, risk management, project monitoring and controls. The industry best practices and working methods shared during the ten weeks of intensive learning were aimed at building the participants’ competencies in project management to help them deliver Qatar’s extraordinary capital investment programme. Project management experts delivered the course attended by 23 participants from Qatar Petroleum, Qatargas and Qatar Shell. The first class of Tafawoq will become a nucleus of Qatar’s project management community, providing project professionals with a network of peers for support in future endeavours. Tafawoq, a learning partnership between QP and Shell, aims to increase the competence level of the project delivery community in Qatar at all levels. Its programme will span across the project lifecycle and will target project engineers who are involved in project management, supply chain management and project delivery. The centre will support these professionals to achieve a sustained and competitive performance as they deliver Qatar’s extraordinary capital investment programme. QP’s senior project engineer Abdul Latif Mohamed Jesmi who attended the course said, “Simplistic yet very thorough across the board. I was able to identify many concepts of Tafawoq which can be applied to real projects yielding excellent results. With all the Mega Capital Projects happening in Qatar, this is the right area to invest in.” Qatar Shell civil and environmental engineer Eman al-Marzouqi who also attended the course said, “The course has helped me understand the right steps that need to be followed in order to complete the project successfully. It has enabled me to relate the different scattered steps (of project management) that I have experienced in my work and compile them in one package. “Additionally, I started to have a real sense of the complexity of each step and how it would impact the project either positively or negatively. In Shell, we have all the right tools and this course enabled me to use and link those tools to any project I work on. This course has established a professional management forum which granted me with access to other people’s experience.” QP’s senior facilities engineer Ali Abdulrahman al-Buenain who attended the course said, “I have attended several project management courses and by far this course is exceptionally more advanced than others because of the practical exercises and relevance to oil and gas sector in terms of the way of executing projects. “It was such a great opportunity to enhance our project management skills and get exposed to best practices in the industry. This will be reflected positively in our performance implementing and applying this knowledge within our organisations. “I highly recommend Tafawoq courses to others who are involved in project management fields not only specifically related to oil and gas. Finally and on behalf of the participants, I would like to thank QP and Qatar Shell for this opportunity.” Hamad bin Khalifa University is in negotiation with QP and Qatar Shell to partner with them in Tafawoq, the statement added.