BP refineries achieve ACTS reaccreditation

BP’s Kwinana and Bulwer Island Refineries have achieved reaccreditation of their Accredited Company Training Scheme (ACTS) from IChemE (the Institution of Chemical Engineers). The reaccreditation recognises the refineries’ commitment to offering their chemical engineering graduates training opportunities and support through their journey to becoming Chartered Members.

BP Kwinana was the first Australian company to achieve ACTS status in Australia, with Bulwer Island achieving ACTS status shortly thereafter. The two refineries joined forces in 2013 to obtain reaccreditation of the ACTS scheme at both refineries.

The IChemE ACTS program demonstrates a company’s commitment to developing competent chemical engineers and is the most effective method for employees to achieve their goal of becoming Chartered Members. It is a living partnership between the company, trainee and IChemE and is designed to assure delivery that is relevant and of a high standard to trainees.

According to IChemE CEO David Brown, this is a significant milestone for BP’s chemical engineers, who place a high value on the support and commitment of their employer in a global economic climate where budget cuts have impacted employee training in many companies.

“BP has worked hard to achieve this status and I congratulate the dedicated BP representatives for the consistent high standards achieved in developing its graduate training and mentor program,” Brown said.

“The ACTS scheme is a win-win for both employer and graduates, with BP securing the highest level of chemical engineering talent and employees achieving the ‘gold standard’ global qualification in their profession, that being a Chartered Member.”

Kwinana’s technical manager Michael Glenny says that Kwinana and Bulwer’s ACTS is aligned to BP’s Value of Excellence and is key to the success of its refining businesses in Australia by assuring consistency and continuing development of engineers.

“The move to a joint scheme is a clear illustration of the dedication and alignment we have in place across Bulwer and Kwinana to the development of our young engineers and the importance we place on the technical capability of our process engineers,” said Beck Kluppels, Kwinana’s process support superintendent, who is accountable for the ACTS program and participated in the recent reaccreditation process.

“ACTS is very much part of what it is to be a process engineer at BP and has been for many years.”

For more information about the ACTS scheme, click here.