THE Machinery Corporation of Guyana (Macorp) launched a Heavy Duty Equipment Maintenance programme at the Linden Technical Institute (LTI) on October 20.

The workshop which facilitated the programme was rehabilitated and upgraded at a cost of $20M.

This first-of-its-kind programme in the Caribbean Region will be developed by the Government of Canada in collaboration with the Government of Guyana and the CARICOM Education for Employment Programme.

The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard occurred in November 2013 and was valued at US$25,000. Managing Director of Macorp, Jorge Medina, had emphasised the need for highly qualified and technical manpower, especially in light of the infrastructural development taking place in Guyana.

This programme would see some 25 persons being given a one-year training in heavy duty equipment maintenance at the LTI, and then a further year of ‘on the job training’ at Macorp.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Training Coordinator, Miguel Oviedo explained that additional to the MOU, monies, materials and equipment for the training would be provided from Caterpillar.

Oviedo explained that the LTI facility needed a proper work shop to accommodate the training programme, and as such, Macorp has embarked on upgrading and refurbishing the workshop at a cost of approximately $20M.

The shop would be maintained and branded by Macorp to facilitate the Macorp training; and when the workshop has been completely refurbished, it is hoped that it would gain the Caterpillar five- Star Certification, Oviedo said.

He also noted that the workshop at the institute is presently being upgraded so as to accommodate the programme, and work in this regard is in its final stage. He explained that Macorp saw the need arise for technicians and engineers, so the company has developed an engineer exchange programme to expose local engineers to world class standards in overseas locations.

This operator training course for heavy duty machinery has seen some 559 persons being trained in the period 2009 to 2014.

Oviedo explained that the trainers at the institute were already formally trained, “and this is an ongoing programme; Macorp will be doing more training with them as the programme proceeds,” he said. “Presently, we have 27 trainees from across Guyana,” and after the LTI programme is finished, we are hoping to have some of them employed with Macorp.

During an invited comment, LTI Principal, Dennis Jaikarran expressed gratitude to the Government of Canada and to Macorp for their support in the partnership arrangement.
According to him, at the LTI they are advancing the cause of technical education in Guyana, and partnerships with agencies overseas and locally would have allowed them to grow, and they want to continue to grow in many other ways.

He said, “With this programme, we will be able to lend a helping hand to the mining industry, which will in turn see development within our country.” Jaikarran said that LTI is pleased to get the opportunity to continue this growth, so that they can take technical education to where they want to take it in Guyana.

(Rebecca Ganesh-Ally)