An Interview with Filipe Francisco

Our Mozambique Country Manager – Filipe Francisco – shares his insights about the company’s 5 years of activity. Check out the interview:

If you could choose one word to describe Ascending’s 5 years, what would it be and why?

Many words could describe these five years, but if I have to choose one, the choice is easy… Pride. The growth and achievements in these first years, the team we have built and the quality of service we offer speak for themselves. I have to be proud!

What were the main achievements of Ascending Academy so far?

Our path is made of achievements, some major and some minor, but I have to highlight that in the first year, we were granted a Training License by the then newly created ANEP, an achievement that now seems small, but at the time it was a huge challenge. After that, I have to highlight our international certification with ECITB, pioneers in Mozambique not only in HSE but also in technical degrees. Then with a restructuring of the training team, we visibly increased our range, mainly in the HSE area. Finally, the greatest and most visible achievement of the last year, was to have won several training contracts with major companies linked to Oil & Gas projects in Mozambique, of which stands out our contract with ENI/CORAL, where we are the main responsible for training, with a high level of expertise in FLNG. We are now launching the Academy internationally and hopefully, next year will say that this was our latest achievement.

Ascending Academy is the leader in internationally certified training in Mozambique. What does this mean in terms of building recognized quality standards?

It means the importance of one of our mottos. We are what we do, not what we say. The international certification is proof of that. We show the world that it is possible to reach international quality levels in Mozambique.

What are the main challenges of energy transformation and how can Ascending Academy be an important support for change?

Any transformation, especially if it has a strong technological character, needs training support. Ascending is in a privileged position to occupy a relevant place as a provider of that support, whether at the basic level of training and changing local mentalities, or in the training of specialized technicians to operationalize that change.

”Improving Lives and Organizations” is Ascending message. What is the Academy’s contribution to improving people’s lives?

Ascending Academy as a Training Institution has a clear role, to improve and empower its members with new knowledge and skills and to improve its trainees in their professional and personal empowerment. It’s hard not to go into clichés, but we are literally and directly improving lives and organizations.