OVER 700 Guyanese turned up at the first Guyana Shore Base Inc. (GYSBI) career fair held at the National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD) on Saturday to be afforded the opportunity to get their foot in the door of the oil-and-gas industry.

The GYSBI launched their career fair in response to the growing demand for labour in Guyana’s oil-and-gas sector; their aim is to hire 150 people to fill various positions, including warehouse supervisors, crane operators, field technicians, mechanics, equipment maintenance technicians, and fuel facility operators.

Saturday’s career fair was the first of three, with one scheduled for today at the Uitvlugt Community Centre Ground, West Coast Demerara (WCD), and the third on October 16 at the Enmore Martyrs Monument Ground, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Applicants are interviewed on-the-spot, and must walk with their proof of vaccination, or a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, some form of identification, a copy of their resumé, and a passport size photograph. Persons with academic and other qualifications are also encouraged to walk with copies of their certificates.

Speaking to the Sunday Chronicle at the event on Saturday, GYSBI Government Liaison Officer, Robin Chandarpaul said that the career fair is the first of several to be held by the company, which has over 500 employees, and a local workforce of 97 per cent.

“Another aspect of what we are doing is market research, to try to figure out what skills and expertise and experience is out there, and how we could tailor future recruitment drives of what’s out there,” Chandarpaul said.

“We are so enthusiastic about what happened today; it really bodes well for our company’s ability to find talent on the local market. And I think this is a great way of reaching out to the population,” he added.

The Sunday Chronicle also caught up with Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Charles Ramson Jr.rJ, who’d also paid the event a visit. He said he is supportive of job fairs, as many young people are searching for careers and different types of opportunities.

“The oil-and-gas industry is a new industry for us, and oil companies have to be aware of that. So, when they have job fairs like this, I’m pleased to support it, because you got to encourage a lot of young people to enter the industry early, so that they can become experts,” Ramson Jr. said.

He explained that while many persons have expectations about how they are going to be able to participate in the oil-and-gas industry, the exposure provided through opportunities provided at job fairs is a good place to start, as they can further develop themselves from there.

The huge turnout is an indication of citizens’ interest in the oil sector, Ramson Jr. opined, and he expressed that he is a strong supporter of local content policy and legislation, as the government wants to encourage Guyanese being given first preference when opportunities arise within the oil industry.

The GYSBI is a Guyanese joint ventureship made up of Muneshwers Ltd, Pacific Rim Constructors, TotalTec Oilfield Services, and LED Offshore, and has been servicing the oil-and-gas sector for about four years.