08 Mar
Megamas Training Company Sdn Bhd, a local privately owned company, based in Kuala Belait, is celebrating towards its 25th anniversary.
Megamas was incorporated in Brunei Darussalam in 1989 as a limited company to provide HSE and Emergency Response training services primarily to the Oil and Gas Industry, and was the first safety training establishment in Negara Brunei Darussalam.
Today, Megamas conducts a wide range of HSE training and consultancy courses, mainly for Brunei Shell Joint Venture companies and their contractors, PB, TOTAL, the Brunei Government, and has become a market leader with arguably the finest facilities and capabilities in S-E Asia.
Since 1989, Megamas has trained over 200,000 delegates and has achieved an outstanding safety performance of 23 years LTI free; a regional record in providing quality HSE training to international standards in a safe environment.
Megamas obtained ISO 9002 in 1997, and in 2003, gained ISO 9001:2000 from BVQI.
Megamas is one of only 2 private training providers worldwide conducting military training in a civilian setting.
Megamas is also a maritime training company delivering internationally recognised maritime courses to meet the STCW’95 standards for seafarers. This training has helped together with Brunei Shell Tankers to equip local Bruneians facilitate an exciting career at sea working with BLNG tankers.
For many years, the management of Megamas has had a strong Bruneisation policy, which has encouraged the locals to gain more skills, expertise and knowledge in the workplace, and supported by overseas assignments to enhance their training. Today, 80% of all its staff are employed as local Bruneian citizens, many, of whom, have stayed with the company for over 15 years.
Recognition has also come from overseas, in that, Megamas has received International Safety Awards from the British Safety Council in London 9 times between 2004 – 2013.
Megamas is the first training provider worldwide to have undertaken a Carbon Foot Printing Study to better understand its environmental impacts throughout its core and related business.
In addition, Megamas received the Green ICT Award during the 7th Brunei ICT Awards (BICTA) on 3rd October 2011.
In November 2004, Megamas conducted the first-ever NEBOSH International Certificate course in S-E Asia, and to-date, have successfully delivered 39 courses. Megamas is also an IOSH Centre, and conducts the 1-day Working Safely and 5-day Internationally approved Managing Safely courses.
Hajah Khadijah Mohamed, Managing Director of Megamas Training Company, was voted by APEA as the Brunei Woman Entrepreneur of the Year 2010.
In 2012, Megamas was accredited by Royal of Society for Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) for Advanced Driver Assessments Car, Heavy Goods & Bus Course, 4×4 Occupational Driving Course and Security Driving Course. Megamas has also obtained RoSPA accreditation for many Defensive Driving and Transportation instructors.
One of the most significant achievements in the last 15 years for Megamas has been to receive worldwide recognition from the oil and gas industry and OPITO in the UK for the development of the Tropical BOSIET Standard for tropical waters. This standard has been warmly welcomed by the industry and has become the benchmark for training standards in tropical regions.
The 1st Tropical BOSIET (OPITO approved) in the world was conducted by Megamas at their Kuala Belait facility in March 2000.
Since its introduction by Megamas Training Company Sdn Bhd in 2000 in Brunei Darussalam, the number of regional OPITO approved training centres has grown considerably, and today, it is delivered worldwide in over 20 countries.
In 2011, Megamas was nominated for the UK Global HSE Awards 2011 for Innovation and Excellence, organized by the UK Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) at the International Communication (ICC) in Birmingham, UK.
In 2012, Megamas was awarded 1st Brunei Award for the Most Outstanding Medium Enterprise and the Most Outstanding Enterprise Supporting the Oil and Gas Sector in February 2012.
Megamas won the Employment Category at the ASEAN Business Awards 2013 for recognition made by Megamas in paying particular attention to good staff retention rates, protection of employee health and safety, professional and career development as well as providing staff benefits.
Also in 2013, Megamas as shortlisted for the Asia Oil and Gas Awards for consultancy and services in Bangkok, Thailand.
Mr David Doig (CEO, OPITO) has commented that the Senior Offshore and Fire Fighting Instructors at Megamas, such as Hj Naweh, Morni Karim, Rusmi Merzuki, Mohd Arif Chia to name a few are quote “every bit as good and equal to any instructors in the business anywhere in the world”, and the former CEO for Shell EPA said that “the offshore training at Megamas delivered by locals was better than the one received in the North Sea”.
In addition, the HSE courses and consultancy services have expanded with courses for the Front Line Worksite Supervisor, and developing the locals to participate in surveillance and intervention for some of BSP’s major projects. These courses are being provided also to BLNG and Government departments.
In addition to developing strong links with the Brunei Government, Petroleum Unit, Brunei Department of Marine, RBA, JKR, Ministry of Development, Brunei Economic Development Board, and MINDEF, Megamas has also developed strong links in the region with many prestigious and long term clients including Total, PB, TelBru, SIEMENS, Adinin Works & Engineering.
Today, all offshore training delivered to the OPITO International Standard for BSP and their contractors is delivered by local Bruneian citizens. This is a truly outstanding achievement by Megamas, and one, which the Managing Director, Hjh Khadijah Mohamed, is very proud, and to share with all the various bodies who have made it possible, Brunei Shell Companies, Brunei Government, and all contractors.
She says “Megamas is a family – we work best when we work together – many of our staff have been together with us for the duration, for over 20 years.
Our vision has always been to try and ensure that workers’ safety is our first and foremost consideration and priority.”
Borneo Bulletin
Saturday, 8 March 2014