–says 3t EnerMech VP

THE Vice-President of 3t EnerMech, Paul Attrill, has said that a significant investment is being made to ensure that oil and gas training facilities are established in Guyana.

He made this disclosure at a EnerMech/Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) students’ practical training session held on Tuesday.

Attrill pointed out that since Guyana is one of the regions to be given the new discoveries of oil and gas, there is need for Guyanese to be trained.

“We are making a significant investment in these facilities here in Guyana to transfer international practices to the Guyanese people and to make sure that the industry and the manpower within the oil and gas industry is predominantly an international workforce,” he said.

Noting that the training session is the first of several phases, he said that at the training centre, which is located at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, students will be exposed to some of the basic fundamental health and safety aspects that any person would need to step on to a platform or industrial site.

“How to operate and just be present on the site, that’s the fundamental thing that we have to teach people and that’s not just Guyana but across the world. That is what we do as a business, health and safety training,” Attrill shared.

He said that while this is the first time for the trainees “on the ladder,” he hopes it leads to a long and prosperous career within the oil and gas industry.

“The dream is that these people become attractive employees to the local and international employers. They build upon those basic skills over a two-year period almost like an apprenticeship in the industry and after two years or so they would come back and then we would upskill them or assess them as to what levels they are at, to make sure they are competent to be within the workplace,” Attrill added.

Also speaking at the practical training session, was GOAL’s Director, Professor Jacob Opadeyi, who said that the exercise is part of an initiative to develop capacity in the oil and gas sector.

“It is particularly an opportunity to fill the need for local content so that in the next few months or years we can have Guyana taking control of the oil and gas sector,” he said.

Sharing that about three companies have offered to do oil and gas training in Guyana, he said that before the end of 2022, it is expected that Guyana will have more training facilities similar to the one at Lusignan.