Portia Ama Anobea Oduro
In Ghana, offshore production technicians are normally men and, in fact, the country is yet to produce its first qualified female technician in this field.
However, that is now set to change with one vibrant lady upsetting the odds and challenging herself to thrive in the profession.
Portia Ama Anobea Oduro is currently the first female offshore Production Technician Trainee hired under the MODEC Ghana Limited Offshore Engineers Trainee Programme.
In a detailed report by Starr News on her historic feat, she narrates how the dream started and how she has adapted to working in a male-dominated field.
She explained that she has always wanted to become a Petrochemical Engineer but faced a lot of challenges after her Secondary School education. After completing SHS at Benkum Senior High School, Portia enrolled at the George Grant University of Mines and Technology (GGUMaT) to study Petroleum Engineering.
She later had her National Service at Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) but struggled to get a job after. However, in her quest to make ends meet she got to hear about and an examination being organized by the Petroleum Commission of Ghana to be part of an internship programme.
She quickly applied and partook in the examinations, which proved to be a success.
In February 2017 she was invited for an interview session at MODEC Ghana Limited. Join YEN on Instagram to be always informed and entertained! Out of the lot who applied that day, Portia was chosen as part of the final 17 to have made the cut. Of that number, she was the only female engineer.
She is currently the first, and only, female Offshore Trainee Technician in Ghana and is undergoing a rigorous training programme with her other male colleagues.
The idea is for them to be trained to take over from the expat staff who are currently manning the various Offshore engineering positions. “It’s been an awesome experience with MODEC so far. Much more than I ever expected,” Portia told Starr News, adding that she hopes her exploits will encourage other ladies to follow her steps. “I’m in a male-dominated environment, but this motivates me even further to show that women can do the job. I hope my work and efforts show that women can be part of this industry and opens up opportunities for other ladies,” she said.
According to her, she “could have been discouraged in the beginning and there were many people who advised me to do something else. If I had listened, I would have missed this great opportunity.”
Portia’s story is one which sounds unbelievable, especially looking at her humble beginnings. However, her passion, zeal and hard work means Ghana is on the verge of producing the country’s first ever female offshore Production Technician.
