By Naomi Parris

“I want to train as many Guyanese sailors as possible over 10 years…my goal is to turn over my vessel to a Guyanese captain” – Captain Henshaw
WITH efforts to engage the young minds and general public, the Matpal Marine Institute held its first ever Career Forum to encourage those desirous of having maritime careers to join the institution.

The institution offers courses in Basic Safety Training, Ship Security Awareness, and Basic Training for Oil and Chemical Tanker Operators, Advance Fire Fighting, Medical Fist Aid, Efficient Deck Hand, Fishing Masters Licence and Harbour Licence for Fishermen\ Basic Training and Emergency Awareness for Fishermen.

Delivering the Keynote address at the presentation, on Monday morning, at the Critclow Labour College, Captain Jim Henshaw urged the youths at the gathering to take advantage of the opportunity placed before them.

“The opportunities here are amazing, we need mariners now, we need skilled individuals now …its gender neutral; ladies, its wide open for you, there is lucrative salaries, it’s a very good employment line to get involved with, so this is the right time,” he stated.
He added that the institution offers a cadet programme, where participants can have access to onboard training and earn a salary as they work onboard of a vessel.
Captain Henshaw further noted that he is looking forward to working with the young, brilliant minds of Guyana, since he has been able to work with a few who were driven to succeed and will soon be receiving their licence and will be deployed to sea to start their careers.

“It’s available to you, it all matters [about] what you want, you could get past obstacles, you can make a difference in your life, in your family lives…this career path is absolutely extraordinary at this point in time and I cannot state that enough…I want to train as many Guyanese as I possibly can, and my goal here is to retire in 10 years and what I would to like do; I would like to turn my vessel over to a Guyanese captain,” he stated.
Additionally, Ms. Coleen Abrams, Chief Executive Officer of MatPal Marine, stated that the projections and discovery of oil in Guyana in 2015, urged Matpal Marine Institution to engage its engines to full speed to focus on its portfolio and curriculum to cater for the emerging oil and gas industry.

“When I was called to man, or should I say man the wheel of Matpal Marine in 2005,I had little knowledge of maritime affairs; however, I knew it was either sink or swim and I was determined to swim …the vision and the passion to continue shaping the mind of sea-farers and the prospective sea-farers through training and certification, to become certified to take up jobs within the maritime industry had to stay alive; thus I became one of the few women in maritime,” Ms. Abrams told the gathering.

She noted that the times are evolving, and persons should take advantage of the opportunities placed before them, to better advance themselves and their country.
Matpal Marine Institute is the only one of its kind in Guyana and since being founded in 1999, the institute has successfully trained a substantial number of persons within and outside of the marine industry of Guyana and has earned a reputation for excellence in service.

Additionally, with the emerging oil and gas sector in Guyana, Tullow Oil has also joined with the institution and has donated $3M in equipment to MatPal Marine institute, to ensure that the participants of the programme and courses are well trained and ready to take the marine, oil and gas industry by storm.