Inovelab

In 2008, more than 150 technical schools will start being implemented in Brazil. Also forecasted for the coming months is the inauguration of 25 other schools, already under construction. The data were supplied by the Ministry of Education and were disclosed by the press office at the organisation.
From 1909 to 2002, 140 technical schools were built in the country. And in the last five years, 39 new units were established. The schools to be inaugurated in 2008 will offer, at first, five intermediate-level technical courses. Each will have capacity for 1,200 students.
The aim of the government is to have 354 new technical schools and 500,000 slots by 2010. "The difficulty faced by companies in hiring trained and skilled workforce is a challenge that is being addressed by the federal government with heavy investment in technical education," says Eliezer Pacheco, secretary for professional and technological education at the Ministry of Education.
The National Industrial Training Service - SENAI is an integral part of the National Industrial Confederation System. It is the largest vocational education complex in Latin America and its purpose is the strengthening of industrial activities through human resources training.

The Technology Center with Facilities in the Full Scale Field - CTDUT is a technology center judicially established as a privately-owned, non-profit, service rendering independent membership, having its headquarters in the City of Duque de Caxias, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and instituted by initiative of Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro PUC-Rio, Petrobras Transporte S.A. - TRANSPETRO and Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. - PETROBRAS, which are effective founding members, with funds from the Fundo Setorial de Petróleo e Gás - CTPetro, related to the Ministry of Science and Technology, through FINEP.

A Technology Center focused on the pipeline area, with full scale facilities intended for the research and development of new technologies, tests of products, equipment and systems used in the pipeline network and in the area staff qualification.

CTDUT is open to the participation of companies, research institutions, universities and organizations of the civil society with concerns in the pipeline sector and in the environment preservation.

The CTDUT project emerged from the strategic necessity of developing technology in the pipeline area, aiming to provide more competitiveness to the pipeline conveyance sector industry established in the Country. It is an investment that shall allow the Country to have the largest shared Technological Center in Latin America, besides being the only one in the world having a full scale built pipeline that is intended for research, tests and personnel qualification.

Brazilian micro and small companies linked to the oil and gas sectors which manufacture items such as valves, pipes, couplings and compressors, and provide other services will have an opportunity for exporting their products for the first time ever. The opportunity will be provided by means a pioneering project, established through a partnership between the National Organization of the Petroleum Industry (Onip) and the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex).

The Apex - ONIP project was presented today (06) in Rio de Janeiro, to a group of local businessmen, and should be presented to people in the industry in other states as well.

The superintendent at ONIP, Bruno Musso, explained that the project for promoting Brazilian exports, established in late 2006, will be developed over the course of two years (2007/2008) and ensures the presence of participating companies in five international trade shows, and in business missions to 11 different countries. Up until now, 60 companies have adhered to the program, which is accepting new members.

"The project is aimed at increasing exports in 30% in 2007, based on export figures for 2005, and then 35% in 2008. In 2005, the 60 participating companies exported approximately 90 million Brazilian reais (US$ 43,2 million) worth of products. The figure does not correspond to the sector's exports," he explained.

Musso also said that, besides increasing export volume, the program is aimed at generating employment and income as well. "We want to have at least 20 new companies to enter the foreign market."

The program brought the two organizations together for the first time ever to elaborate a project for the sector, and has a budget of 4 million reais (US$ 1,9 million), to be shared by Apex and the sector's companies. Onip is the manager of the project, which will be evaluated halfway through 2008. The idea, according to the superintendent at ONIP, is to propose to Apex the creation of a new program for the 2009/2010 period, based on the results of the experience being implemented now.