In this exclusive interview, The Energy Circle by IN-VR spoke with Benoit Rabaud about the urgent need to develop foundational technical and safety skills, sustainable training ecosystems, and local knowledge transfer in Timor-Leste’s energy sector, alongside strategies for effective governance and preparing the workforce for a decarbonizing, technology-driven future.
Q1. Timor-Leste is still shaping its energy sector and workforce. From your perspective, what are the most urgent skills and capacity-building priorities the country should focus on to support its oil, gas, and renewable energy ambitions?
Talking PointsTimor-Leste is entering a decisive phase of industrialization in its energy sector with upstream oil and gas developments, downstream infrastructure, and emerging renewable projects. The foundation for success will be its people.At present, the workforce is young and highly motivated, but has had limited exposure to industrial environments and the standards that come with them; things like safety culture, technical discipline, and operational mindset. So, the first priority is to strengthen these fundamentals.First, there’s a need to develop foundational technical skills in process, mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation disciplines. These are the backbone of any industrial facility, whether it’s oil and gas, mining, power generation, manufacturing, etc.Second, we must build a strong safety and work culture. Instilling international HSE standards and a disciplined operational mindset early on is absolutely non-negotiable.Third, capacity building must focus on training the trainers. Developing national instructors certified to international standards ensures the know-how remains in Timor-Leste. This is already happening with CNEFP Tibar, and it’s a powerful model to expand.Fourth, training must support cross-sector integration. Skills developed for oil and gas should betransferable across industries. Electrical, Mechanical and Instrumentation and Control discipline,for example, are equally relevant to oil and gas, power, water, and manufacturing. In fact, many graduates from our Actemium training programs have gone on to work not only in oil and gas but also EDTL, and even hospitality, bringing benefits across the economy.And finally, soft skills and leadership - communication, teamwork, and problem-solving - are critical for long-term employability and growth.
Q2. Many training initiatives start strong but fade after projects end. What mechanisms can help Timor-Leste ensure continuity and lasting impact of its workforce programs?
Talking PointsThat’s an important question, because we often see the same pattern: strong training programs launched with donor or operator funding, and then they disappear once the project is completed.The real challenge is sustainability.First, we need institutional anchoring. Training programs should become part of the country’s long-term training ecosystem, not temporary initiatives. For example, they can be embedded into the national vocational or higher education system and within national institutions such as CNEFP.Second, we must plan long term and finance long term. Instead of repeating isolated programs, there should be a structured financial roadmap with the goal of building national capacity and achieving full autonomy over time.Third, sustainability depends also on governance. A public–private steering committee that includes ANP, the relevant ministries, and key industry operators can provide alignment, continuity, and funding oversight. This ensures that training priorities evolve with industry needs.Fourth, using internationally recognized competence assurance frameworks - such as OPITO - is crucial. This helps measure progress objectively and gives trainees credentials that have value in the labour market.And finally, train-the-trainer and capacity building is a top priority. When you have nationally certified trainers and assessors, the program no longer depends on external expertise, it becomes self-sustaining.In short: the key to lasting impact lies in institutional, financial, and human ownership. If Timor-Leste builds these three forms of ownership from the start, every future program should add to apermanent national capability, not just a temporary result.
Q3.Actemium emphasizes training and empowering local talent. What approaches do you recommend for ensuring that knowledge transfer and local content development become centralpillars of Timor-Leste’s energy industry?
Talking PointsAt Actemium, our mission in Timor-Leste, as in many other countries, is to build capacity, not dependency. Our goal is for local people to take ownership of the knowledge and systems we help develop. This approach is proven in our projects worldwide, where usually more than 95% of our workforce is local.First, this requires a clear localization roadmap. We typically define progressive stages starting from expatriate-led delivery, moving to co-delivery with national trainers, and finally achieving full national delivery.Second, we promote shadowing and co-facilitation. Every foreign trainer is paired with a national trainer from day 1, so that learning happens not only in the classroom but through hands-on mentoring.Third, industrial exposure is absolutely crucial, especially for Timor-Leste. Trainers must gain real on-the-job experience in live facilities before they can effectively train others. Without that exposure, the knowledge transfer remains theoretical and incomplete.Fourth, we need to recognize and retain value. In many countries where industrial skills are still developing, once local trainers become competent, they are quickly hired by the very industries they were training for ... and the capacity-building process has to start all over again. It’s therefore essential to valorize industrial training as a respected and well-compensated career path, ensuring that experienced trainers choose to remain in the training ecosystem. That’s the only way to secure long-term national benefit from the investment made in human capital.In short: true knowledge transfer isn’t just about teaching skills, it’s about creating a self-reinforcing ecosystem where local trainers, local institutions, and local industry grow together and sustain their own expertise.
Q4.What governance and coordination mechanisms between government, operators, and training institutions would best accelerate workforce development in Timor-Leste’s energy sector?
A: Talking PointsEffective workforce development depends on aligning the supply of skills with the actual demand from industry.First, it requires tripartite coordination between the regulator (ANP), industry operators, and training centers exactly as we did with the CNEFP Tibar programs. This kind of partnership keeps training relevant to real project needs or the economy.Second, we need to use competence frameworks that industry trusts, frameworks that define clear skill levels and allow employers to recognize and value certified workers. That’s why we base all our trainings on OPITO global qualifications.Third, joint planning is essential. Upcoming projects should share their manpower forecasts early, so those needs can be built into national training plans.Fourth, we must secure long-term funding mechanisms co-financing models such as industrylevies, or public-private training funds to sustain programs beyond one-off projects.And finally, monitoring and evaluation should be continuous tracking employability, skill use, and career progression to adjust curricula and close feedback loops.In short: coordination is about creating a shared language between industry, institutions, and policymakers, one that keeps training aligned with both industry priorities and national development goals.
Q5.Looking ahead, how can Timor-Leste position its workforce to stay competitive as the global energy sector moves toward decarbonization and new technologies?
A: Talking PointsFirst, foundational skills remain the cornerstone. A good example is electrical engineering: whenFrance shifted to 75 percent nuclear power in the early 2000s, not everyone became a nuclear expert. The real demand was for mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, and process technicians. The same principle applies here. What matters more than mastering every new technology is keeping a strong technical base and a culture of continuous learning.That said, training must also evolve with the times. Traditional oil and gas programs should integrate modules on energy efficiency, process optimization, and emissions awareness. They should also include solar systems, grid management, and power integration so that skills can transfer easily across sectors.Next, the workforce needs to be digitally fluent. Training should include data analytics, control systems, and maintenance automation. Digitalization is now part of every industrial job.And finally, there needs to be a mindset shift. Technology will keep changing faster than any training cycle. Building a habit of lifelong learning while having solid foundational skills is what will truly keep Timor-Leste’s workforce competitive in a low-carbon world.
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