…Guyanese youth cash in on oil-related job offers
…as Schlumberger seeks to expand services, Guyanese workforce

WORKING in the emerging oil and gas sector is a dream that will come to fruition for several young qualified Guyanese youth as Schlumberger Guyana hosted a career fair on Saturday to engage possible new additions to their team.

Despite the inclement weather earlier in the day, over 200 persons from various backgrounds turned up to take advantage of the opportunity at the fair held in the compound of Bishops’ High School.

Fiaz Mohammed, a Guyanese national who lived and studied in Venezuela for over 15 years, recently returned to Guyana to work because he believes that the country’s economy is booming again. According to Mohammed, he has worked across-the-board in technical fields. He was employed as a welder and a mechanic after he studied Industrial Engineering. He was also exposed to petroleum engineering and believes that Schlumberger Guyana is here to make a difference in the lives of Guyanese.

“I believe I have the opportunity here… Bringing this job fair to the people is the best thing. [They are giving us] a chance to talk with them, to know them,” Mohammed said.
Another prospective applicant, Kasena Glasgow, told the Department of Public Information that the company presents great job opportunities and seems much focused on the potential for career and personal development. “I thought it would be a good idea to see what Schlumberger has to offer to our economy. Guyana is set to be the richest country in South America soon so I’m excited to see what they have to offer,” Glasgow said.

Davindra Singh said although he is not qualified for the listed positions, he came to experience what they had to offer to Guyana and for possible future employment opportunities with the company. Dacia Lewis noted the available avenues that Schlumberger is providing Guyanese citizens with for their development. “They have a field for persons in science, in business…it’s huge,” Lewis said.

Schlumberger’s Business Talent Acquisition Manager, Tandayi Jones, remarked that while a great percentage of employees at the local office are Guyanese, they are looking to increase the content. She said that there are a number of skilled persons in Guyana who can positively contribute to their organisation. “We like to hire fresh-out talent and train and develop them from within so we’re looking to identify that talent here today.”
Jones disclosed that currently, the company currently has immediate openings for Field Specialists, Field Engineers, Lab Technicians and HR staff and is looking for skilled persons to fill those positions. She added that in the future, Schlumberger Guyana is expected “to increase tenfold at the very least, so we’re looking to identify Guyanese talent that we can bring within our organisation,” noting that similar job fairs will be conducted across the country.

Schlumberger, the world’s leading provider of technology for reservoir characterisation, drilling, production and processing in the oil and gas industry, is a major service provider to ExxonMobil Guyana by providing technical support for its operations in the Stabroek Block which have, to date, resulted in proven reserves of 5.5 billion barrels of oil. The company has been instrumental in contributing to local content in the country. The growth of the company’s Guyanese workforce demonstrates its commitment to developing local people.
The Guyana Chronicle reported on Saturday that the oilfield services giant has hired 12 Guyanese from the fifth graduating class of the TOTALTEC International Petroleum & Maritime Academy (IPMA). According to a press release from TOTALTEC, six will begin their careers with additional training in Trinidad, while the other six will begin in Guyana.

“Schlumberger is the world’s leading provider of technology for reservoir characterisation, drilling, production and processing in the oil and gas industry, and is a major service provider to ExxonMobil Guyana. The new graduates can expect a wide range of opportunities over the course of their careers,” said the press release.

It noted that six of the graduates will travel to Trinidad, where Schlumberger has ongoing operations. It said they will undergo specialised training in wireline logging, a technique where sophisticated tools are lowered into wells on an electrical cable to provide continuous measurements to evaluate the subsurface, its geology and fluids. “The others will begin in Guyana’s operations, where Schlumberger is providing a range of offshore services with onshore support,” the release said.

Guyana Manager for Schlumberger, Peter Cahill said, “I have been impressed with the breadth and quality of the training. In particular, their dedication and commitment to safety is to be commended. This is critical to a long and successful career in the oil industry.”
TOTALTEC Academy Manager, Joseph Singh, commented, “We are very proud of our graduates. Throughout the eight-week programme, we challenged them to think critically, and understand the principles of tools and techniques they are being trained in. We are pleased to have them join Schlumberger and are confident they will succeed.” Since its opening in early 2018, the TOTALTEC Academy has trained over 125 Guyanese for positions in the oil & gas industry. The training combines classroom and practical sessions, with an emphasis on safety and a culture of looking out for each other.