Thirty-two Community Support Staff engaged by PFL Engineering Services Limited are to receive fully funded professional training and certification as riggers or scaffolders, following an intervention by the Bonny Integrated Recruitment Centre (BIRC) to expand access to skilled employment for Bonny indigenes and residents.
Chairman of BIRC, Adawari Julius Jumbo, who disclosed this via a statement by the Centre’s Public Relations Officer, Godswill Hart, stated that this was the outcome of strategic engagements between BIRC and the management of PFL, marking a strategic push by BIRC to turn community-based employment into pathways to higher-value jobs.
This, Jumbo said, will be achieved by negotiating opportunities for local workers to acquire recognised technical skills demanded in the construction, maintenance and oil and gas industries.
“This initiative represents a deliberate step towards transforming community support opportunities into sustainable employability pathways by equipping beneficiaries with recognized technical skills that can improve their competitiveness within the construction, maintenance and oil and gas sectors.”
According to the BIRC Chairman, PFL, a programme sponsor, will bear the full cost of the training and certification, thus removing the financial burden from the beneficiaries, while the recruitment centre intensifies its drive to connect indigenes and residents to skilled employment.
The training will be delivered in two batches of 16 participants. The first begins on October 20, 2026, and will run for 10 days, while the second is scheduled for November 23, also for 10 days.
The initiative reflects BIRC’s growing emphasis on actively sourcing opportunities, engaging employers and helping local workers develop the qualifications needed to compete in the wider labour market—not simply securing initial placements, but building skills that can improve their long-term employability.
The BIRC also stated that the Community Liaison Officer (CLO) of PFL, Charles Dappa, also deserves commendation for his support in advancing the engagement and helping bring the training opportunity to fruition.
He noted that such cooperation between community liaison structures, employers and recruitment institutions is essential to converting advocacy for local opportunities into practical outcomes.
BIRC further commended the PFL management for funding the programme and supporting a model of community engagement that extends beyond immediate employment to skills development and professional certification.
The centre urged the beneficiaries to approach the training with discipline and commitment, stressing that the goal is to acquire practical competencies that enhance their professional value and future employment prospects.
He added that further instructions will be communicated to the participants through the appropriate channels, enjoining them to stay on alert.
