Young Adipec, the annual youth outreach initiative by the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (Adipec), has announced it is partnering with the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) as part of government efforts to cultivate the next generation of home-grown energy professionals.

 

The first-time cooperation between the two entities will enable Young Adipec to relay a strong and powerful message to the wider school community: The future of the UAE’s energy sector depends on today’s educated and informed youth, Adipec said in a statement.

 

Held under the patronage of Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, Young Adipec is aimed at educating high school students between the ages of 14 and 17 about the wealth and diversity of career opportunities in the energy sector, encouraging them to pursue studies in the fields of science and engineering, and spreading awareness about these specialties. 

 

Through the support of Adec, which involves raising awareness about the initiative through the Council’s official communication channels, Young AdipecC plans to recruit and engage more students than ever before, with the expected participation of 450 pupils from 18 schools – 4 private and 14 public – across Abu Dhabi. This marks a remarkable 26 per cent increase over the number of students who participated in the programme last year. More than 700 students from across the UAE have passed through the programme since its inception in 2013, the statement said. 

 

Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, Adec’s School operations executive director, lauded efforts exerted by Young Adipec, adding that students will gain a wealth of knowledge in fields related to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Stem), as well as experience research and teamwork spirit. 

 

“Encouraging youth to innovate and create is crucial for industry development, which is exactly why this initiative is timely,” said Al Dhaheri. “Our aim is to engage students in as many activities as possible that will motivate them to learn and explore, all in favour of preparing a curious, well-read and equipped workforce that will help further fructify the economy.” 

 

Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, CEO of Al Yasat Petroleum Operations Company and Adipec 2016 chairman, said: “As the global energy mix evolves, so does the skillset required for those who work in the industry. Technology, research, innovation, and application are playing a central role in driving industry progress, and prospective candidates must be equipped with the ability to be agile in such a dynamic business environment in order to succeed. I am confident that with the community’s firm support – that is the support of parents, educators, and employers – we can help inspire our children today to become the energy leaders of tomorrow.”

 

In the first phase of Young Adipec, students will have an exciting opportunity to get hands-on experience during trips to oil field sites, training centres, innovation centres, as well as workshop and manufacturing facilities belonging to leading oil and gas companies. These include the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Petroleum Operations Ltd., (Adco), Al Mansoori Specialized Engineering, Al Mazroui Engineering, Borouge, the National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC), Schlumberger, Takreer, and Weatherford. 

 

The second phase of the Young Adipec programme will be an experiential and edutainment component that will enable students to explore different aspects of the industry. 

 

Following significant success, the Young Adipec Photo Competition is back, this time with ‘Lights of the City’ as the theme. As part of the programme’s efforts to raise awareness about energy consumption, students are being invited to capture on camera how human civilisation consumes energy to light up a single city.

 

A host of other activities taking place at the Young Adipec stand during the event will raise the bar for ‘edutainment’, with 7 Experience Zones designed to keep students fully engaged.

 

Four new activity streams include the Health and Safety Zone, which will give students an opportunity to learn about the importance of workplace safety through a series of hands-on sessions that look at safety regulations, equipment selection, and the available solutions for all occupational safety requirements. The new Engineering Zone will allow students to develop their problem solving, team work, and big thinking skills by inviting them to design and build a prototype of a specific project. 

 

Meanwhile, the Virtual Reality Field Operation Simulator Game Zone by Al Mazroui Engineering will give students an opportunity to experience what it is like to work on the field through state-of-the-art simulation technology. Meanwhile, The Future Leadership Workshop will offer students a non-traditional learning platform that serves as a positive change agent, community builder, business school think-tank, and research centre all rolled into one.

 

The three remaining zones include The Petroleum Institute Educational Zone, where students will be invited to carry out live experiments, a Video Wall, which will display filmed diaries from the school field trips, as well as a dedicated Photo Competition Wall that will showcase the shortlisted photography entries. Students will also have an opportunity to participate in a treasure hunt that will require them to successfully complete a series of industry-related tasks.

 

The sponsors of Young Adipec are the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) the Arab Development Company (Ardeco), Weatherford, Al Mazroui Engineering, ExxonMobil, Partex, and Ali & Sons Oilfield Supplies & Services. -- TradeArabia News Service