Bahrain-based Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (Asry) is finalising the third phase of its $3.2 million apprenticeship programme, with the next intake of students imminent, a report said.

The third batch of trainees will have a more enhanced focus on practical application of theoretical knowledge with apprentices spending more time in Asry, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

Being run in association with UK-based Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), the programme is part of a tie-up that also includes the awarding of International Health and Safety Passports (IHSP) to over 1,000 Asry staff.

Under the programme, graduates are given training in electrical and technical proficiencies in Asry's workshops with a view to becoming full-time employees.

Apprentices are examined through online knowledge tests and Asry-based practical tests, achieving International Competence in Engineering-Construction (ICE) certifications, all overseen by ECITB.

Late last year, the shipyard in association with Tamkeen and the National Institute for Industrial Training, accelerated the programme with 23 students being inducted.

Furthermore, Asry has issued its 1,000th ECITB IHSP as part of its safety training programme.

Having identified a need to standardise regional yard safety in order to track and improve supervisor-level safety training and development, Asry developed a yard-specific enhanced safety awareness training course. It takes ECITB stated minimum requirments and exceeds them to include Asry and ship repair-specific health, safety, and environment (HSE) considerations.

More than 1,000 workers have attained their IHSPs, with entry now open to any maintenance and ship repair worker in the Middle East region.

The yard said it has also seen an 18 per cent reduction in HSE-related incidents and the introduction of the IHSP has corresponded with a step change in HSE behavioural improvement. – TradeArabia News Service