TWENTY eight young people will have the opportunity to experience Guyana’s interior regions and learn about the natural resources sector and job opportunities in the sector.
The individuals, who hail from various regions, will have the opportunity to do so during the Ministry of Natural Resources’ third Youth in Natural Resources Apprenticeship Programme which was launched at the Herdmanston Lodge on Monday.

Participants, over the next four weeks, will travel through Guyana’s dense rainforest to various mining camps to see how precious and semi-precious minerals are extracted from the earth.

They will also be able to interact with mentors and professionals who will share their knowledge and experiences of working in extractive industries such as the oil and gas sector.

Personnel Manager of the Guyana Forestry Commission, Sonya Reece, said youths apart from being gainfully engaged in workshops, seminars and work study, will also get to experience sustainable management practices within the natural resource sector and the extractive industry.

Young people have been able to explore the wonders of the natural resource sector since 2017, when the ministry officially launched the apprenticeship programme.
The programme, which caters for young people between the ages of 15and19 years old, has grown and expanded over the years. Reece said there were just 15 participants in 2017 and that number grew to 25 in 2018.

This year the ministry received 70 applications from persons from across the country. Persons were able to access application forms from the ministry’s website, all regional offices, mines offices of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the University of Guyana and other organisations.

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, was excited about the number of participants who will take part in this year’s programme.

“We will expose you all to the wonders of the natural resources sector…we welcome you into the fold of the ministry and under our wings,” said Minister Trotman, adding that the participants will be exposed to places and people.

He said the aim is to touch their hearts and minds so that the participants will be able to see each other differently.

The programme will allow participants to see nature, the natural resources and the communities in a whole new way.