Empowering the Future: PTI Partners With Faith Leads University to Develop AI Skills

By Wilson Macaulay

The Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) in Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria is making remarkable progress in growing key skills needed for the future. The Acting Principal and Chief Executive of the Institute, Dr. Samuel E. Onoji, is passionate about ensuring that the Institute becomes the leading oil and gas technological Institute in Africa. He is focused on ensuring that both staff and students of the Institute gain practical knowledge in order to stay competitive and relevant in the global market.

In a bid to foster this passion, the Linkages, Exchange, and Partnerships (LEP) unit of the Petroleum Training Institute organises a webinar training series tagged, Industry Academia Linkage (IAL) Webinar Series. The Head of the LEP unit of PTI, Dr. (Mrs.) Sarah A. Nwinee, said that the IAL webinar series deploys in Triple Helix Model to foster innovation in training, research, and consultancy in the Institute. She also said that the IAL webinar series provides a platform for Subject Matter Experts from the industry to train staff of the institute, availing them the opportunity to learn and gain knowledge on the current trends in the industry.

Dr Nwinee stated that the 6th edition of the IAL webinar series which held on August 29, 2024, was hosted in collaboration with Faith Leads University (FLU) in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA with the objective to train both staff and students in Artificial Intelligence (AI), thus empowering them with the requisite AI skills needed to excel in the future. She further stated that, the partnership between PTI and FLU Florida to host this webinar marks a significant step in fostering the drive of the Institute towards building sustainable skills required to provide solutions to the challenges of the industry. The webinar featured Dr. Paul Okatahi, Vice President and Founder of Faith Leads University, as the lead speaker. Dr Okatahi’s presentation, titled “Developing Essential AI Skills for the Future,” explored the transformative impact of AI on various sectors of the economy and how educational institutions like PTI can align their programs to meet industry demands.

Dr. Okatahi emphasized the importance of adopting a beginner’s mind-set when engaging with AI. He described AI as “mathematics and data,” highlighting its potential to help people solve real-world problems creatively. He stated that Generative AI, offers solutions in various areas of life ranging from robotics to medical advancements. He further outlined several AI-driven innovations, including self-driving cars, drones, and even robotic bodyguards. He discussed the growing need for AI skills in fields like mechatronics, machine learning, and neural networks. Addressing the limitations of AI, Dr. Okatahi pointed out that AI unlike humans lacks common sense, emotions, and the ability for gender and age differentiation. He however assured the audience that AI is evolving and these challenges are not insurmountable. He emphasized the importance of quality data and ethical considerations in AI development.

The session ended with quiz set by Dr. Okatahi, after which he announced that the 12 participants who performed well in the quiz will receive the Faith Leads University Google Scholarship worth over $300.The scholarship will enable them enrol and study any of the following high-demand tech industry certificate programs: Cyber security, Data Analytics, Digital Marketing & E-commerce, Project Management, UX Design and IT Support for a period of 3 months.

A goodwill message was presented by Ihuaku Ugwu, HR Manager, SLB (formerly known as Schlumberger) Land & Rigs, Houston, Texas, USA. Ihuaku, in her goodwill message underscored AI’s potential to empower individuals and expand their academic and professional horizons. She said that “AI is no longer a futuristic concept; it is a vital component of industries ranging from energy to finance.” She further stressed the need for participants to stay curious and passionate about learning AI.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Mrs. Florence Jumbo, Deputy Director, Human Resources Development, on behalf of the Registrar. She expressed the gratitude to Dr. Paul Okatahi and Ihuaku Ugwu for their valuable contributions and to Dr. (Mrs) Sarah A. Nwinee and her team for organising the webinar.