FIFTY young Guyanese are now employed at TOTALTEC Oilfield Services, as they have successfully completed their Safety and Operators training programme at TOTALTEC Academy.

At the graduation ceremony for the new batch of young people on Friday, Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, said that he is pleased with the contribution the company has been making in preparing the youths for the future.

The prime minister said that the government was worried that young people would not find a place in the new industry.

“We were worried that our young people, particularly those who have come out of the sugar and bauxite industry, would not find a place in the oil and gas, or their total dependence on sugar and bauxite could have a catastrophic effect on the future of young people. Here it is you have been able to recruit young persons, children of sugar and bauxite workers and bring them into the city, train them on site, train them in the environment so they know what it is to be working in the oil and gas sector… So you are producing a new breed of Guyanese intelligentsia,” Nagamootoo said.

He noted further that the training of these Guyanese youths “is contributing the most tangible manifestation of local content, in the oil and gas industry. “[That] 250 Guyanese have been trained in the field and are being deployed simultaneously to paying jobs, shows that TOTALTEC are entrepreneurs who are committed to the requirements of the industry, and it shows they are for real…” he said.

British High Commissioner, Greg Quinn said that this programme plays part of the new Guyana.

“…an educated, trained Guyana, willing and able to provide the people, the goods and services to develop this great country [is necessary] to make good of the potential of Guyana we have all heard so much about,” Quinn told the attendees.

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman said that these young people are entering a world that is new to Guyana, and they have a responsibility to maintain the required standard.

“You’ve already been called pioneers because you are entering into a world that is unknown to us in Guyana. Hold that standard that has been set, near and dear to you…. As you face difficult circumstances, remember to never ever give up,” Trotman advised.

Giving history on the company, CEO of TOTALTEC Oilfield Services, Lars Mangal said that from its origins in early 2018, TOTALTEC Academy has developed programmes to international standards and have successfully trained over 250 young Guyanese for critical roles required by oil and gas industry.

“We were able to successfully transition laid-off workers on the sugar, bauxite, and gold mining industries, providing them with new hope and future prosperity. Many of our graduates are also previous students of our TVET institutions, and we are grateful for the role these technical institutes played in preparing them for work in a challenging new industrial environment,” Mangal said.

He explained that the graduates underwent a rigorous eight-week programme, consisting of theoretical and practical learning. The students completed nine courses covering 64 modules of safety and oil and gas operational training; and had to earn a pass mark of 85 per cent, with testing being carried out daily.

The courses and instructors, Mangal said, are provided by First Competence Ltd., which is an Approved Learning Centre certified by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

The SQA is a global awarding body which certifies training institutions to ensure their adherence and fulfilment of Scottish and UK quality standards. All this training has been provided at zero cost to each student since they have all been placed on full scholarships by TOTALTEC, including receiving a training salary.

“We will continue to be the premier institution offering a direct pathway for Guyanese young people into this industry; and we will continue to demonstrate that with the right support and training, there are no limits to what our young people can achieve,” the CEO said.