By Telesha Ramnarine

FOUR of the trainees who were part of the first group of Guyanese to benefit from an ExxonMobil-organised training in Canada, have expressed their excitement in transitioning from theory to practice when they join the offshore family sometime this month.
The four, Royston Khalil, Faudia Mudeena Ramjohn, Sameer Ally and Alex Latchman, spoke to the Guyana Chronicle in online interviews recently, when they all expressed appreciation for the training and detailed the positive effects that it will have on them personally.
The four, along with 20 other trainees, returned home last month following an intense 18-month training at the Cape Brenton University. They will now be deployed to the Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels (FPSO) Liza Destiny, where they will be employed by Destiny operator SBM Offshore, in support of ExxonMobil and partners to produce Guyana’s oil and gas.
The participants were exposed to basic training in the first instance and then advanced training in electrical, mechanical, instrumentation, and operations. The four featured in this article have each topped their discipline.
Royston Khalil, of Number Four Village, West Coast Berbice, is an electrical technician who said his training overseas was more than he could’ve imagined. “It was very intense being in a classroom from 8 to 4, Monday-Friday, packed with a lot of studying, assignments, tests and exams,” he expressed.

The practical training offered was of high standards, using equipment that Khalil said he had never seen in local technical institutions. “I am very proud to have been a part of the first batch… I’m so excited and cannot wait to actually be doing practical work and getting my hands dirty. I’m so ready that I’m counting the days to go offshore,” Khalil further expressed.
Faudia Mudeena Ramjohn, another trainee who hails from Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara, is an operations technician whose job requires an immense amount of knowledge regarding the product and the process. “I have gained so much knowledge about process control and the oil-and-gas industry that can be applied not only to the Liza Destiny, but worldwide,” she offered.
Further, she said the training has also helped her to develop positive attributes that will help her be a better person and a good operator. “Safety has also become a major part of both my professional and personal life, which is probably the prime benefit.”
Ramjohn added: “Developing a country’s resource is one thing, but developing my own country’s resources adds entirely new feelings: those of pride, responsibility, an obsession to get it right and to do it as safely as possible. I feel nothing but excitement. I’m ready to learn more and I’m ready to officially be a part of the industry that powers the world.”

HANDS-ON WORK
The basic-systems training in the four disciplines was followed by hands-on work in a classroom setting, and now they will put their training to work on the FPSO, where they will be mentored by experienced experts from SBM Offshore and other business partners.
SBM Offshore Country Manager Herve Laurioux, believes that the programme demonstrated SBM Offshore and ExxonMobil’s commitment to ensuring that Guyanese are meaningfully engaged in every aspect of their work in the country.
Meanwhile, another trainee, Sameer Ally of New Amsterdam, Berbice, is an instrument technician trainee who is pursuing his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.
He explained that the training was both theoretical and practical and was divided into two parts, the first being in basic skills training which entailed exploration, drilling and production of oil and gas, while advanced skills training allowed him to specialise in instrumentation.
“I have become a lot more safety conscious; whatever I do, I think safety first. The oil-and-gas industry requires high levels of competency. I am confident that I can safely, efficiently and effectively carrying [sic] out my daily tasks on the FPSO, which in turn help the company attain its objectives to the benefit of Guyana,” he said, adding, “I am 100 per cent ready to join the offshore family. It is truly an honour.”
Offering a bit of advice for other Guyanese who wish to work in the oil-and-gas industry, Ally said: “Set your goals and work towards them. There is [a] lot of negativity out there, but we all have unique opportunities to be part of an industry with the potential to develop Guyana even more.”
The fourth trainee, Alex Latchman of Cummings Lodge, is now a mechanical technician who completed detailed studies on pumps, valves, pipes, compressors and gas turbines, among others. He was also able to complete Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (BOSIET), Basic firefighting training, atmosphere gas-testing and first-aid response.
“This training has given me the opportunity to expand my technical knowledge and the skills, while instilling the importance of safety in my day-to-day life, at work and at home. I am extremely excited to be putting the theoretical knowledge gained over the last 18 months into practice. I wish to thank my wife, family and instructors for the extra support they have given me throughout my training,” Latchman expressed.
ExxonMobil’s Public and Government Affairs Adviser Janelle Persaud offered that the development model for operations and maintenance employees is designed for trainees to advance from Technician I to III over time. She said the intent is to enhance their capacity to such a level that they are able to replace an experienced international worker.
More than 2,000 Guyanese are working on ExxonMobil activities in Guyana, which represents 55 per cent of the total workforce.

Photos:

Exxon 1: Royston Khalil

Exxon 2: Faudia Mudeena Ramjohn

Exxon 3: Sameer Ally

Exxon 4: Alex Latchman