GUYANA Marriott Hotel, CPIC Monique’s Guyanese Women’s Roundtable (GWR), The Level Up Movement, WeLead Caribbean and the Georgetown American University will host the country’s first Women in the Oil and Gas (WIOG) conference from June 20-22.

Described as Guyana’s most premier and anticipated energy-sector event for women, the organisers said the conference will be used as a platform where energy professionals and industry shapers help women and girls to become knowledgeable in order to enter and/or advance their careers in a traditionally male industry, by providing information into key energy trends and skills for personal and professional development.

The intent, the organisers reasoned, is to learn from successful women leaders in oil and gas sector as they share their industry knowledge, strategies and experiences on how to navigate the space in this new industry in Guyana, advocate for local content mainly for the role of women in the sector, accelerate positive organisational change, business creation, and personal growth.

Dr. Melissa Varswyk, Co-founder and CEO of Georgetown American University, said “the little big secret in Guyana is that there is a cohort of women helping women to move beyond the glass ceiling the rest of the world sees. Here stands an opportunity for us to ensure that women’s place is at the decision-making table in Guyana’s oil and gas sector.”

Members of government, national and international companies, Guyanese multinational service providers, among others are expected to attend the event.

Some of the key topics that will be discussed are transforming the jobs and skills of women for the energy landscape, community partnerships, building relationships with foreign and local businesses, igniting women and youth entrepreneurship, as well as contract negotiations and business development for the oil and gas sector.

The organisers are encouraging women to attend, so that they can gain a comprehensive overview of the energy sector and the mineral sector in Guyana, explore the innovative ideas of the other communities, hear from end-users and running projects which are designed to help women to understand how they may enter this growing market.