–Sherry Ferrell makes big strides after humble beginnings

WOMEN have made significant strides in the oil and gas industry in recent years. Not only are they contributing to the industry’s success, but they are also breaking down barriers and encouraging more women to enter the field.

The industry benefits from the diverse perspectives and talents that women bring to the table, like 37-year-old Sherry Ferrell, who is the Head of El Dorado Offshore Guyana – one of the leading manpower and recruitment companies in the Caribbean.

This “country girl” grew up in Region Three and began teaching at the tender age of 17, while also being a ‘Sunday School’ teacher at her church.

“I believe those two careers would have moulded me to find the HR part. I genuinely love people. Like anywhere that I would have worked, people always refer to me as the mother of the company or somebody that they can always go to.

“I believe that I have a lot of empathy towards people and situations. So it’s easy for people to talk to me,” Ferrell said during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle.

She related that the career path was not deliberate, but the journey was worth the adventure.
Currently, she holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Guyana and a master’s in Human Resource Management from the University of the West Indies.

Aside from her professional endeavours, Ferrell enjoys spending time with her fiancé, travelling, volunteering, and giving back to her community.

She worked at the Environmental Protection Agency as an HR officer and Texilia American University also.

But no matter her role, she quickly outgrew the environment since she knew she was destined for more.
“I was looking for something different because I felt like there was nothing more that I could do. One thing about me is if I feel like I’m not being useful somewhere, I want to move,” she said.

Ferrell said that one of her friends saw a vacancy for an HR manager at a logistics company in the Oil and Gas sector and pleaded with her to apply.

While she might have been deterred by not having any experience in the sector, Ferrell said she applied without even thinking if she would get any feedback.

To her surprise, Ferrell said she got the position and quickly excelled. However, she was quickly promoted to lead its subsidiary, El Dorado Offshore.

She related that the sector is filled with opportunities for women, especially at their logistics company.

“We don’t discriminate in any position; we have female health and safety superintendents. We have female stewards offshore; we have cooks that are female offshore. So, any opportunity that arises, a female can apply for,” she said.

The company also provides training if the applicant lacks the necessary skills to complete tasks.
“We do facilitate that to ensure that persons have the opportunity to shine in areas that they want to, or to apply for things that they want,” Ferrell said.

With a background in HR, Ferrell is able to implement management strategies that not only benefit the company but also its employees, and this was evident during the Coronavirus pandemic.

“I always say COVID even though a lot of bad things happen; it was still a little blessing in disguise because EDO would have rolled out our work-from-home programme. Right now we have a hybrid system. As of March 2020, the employees work from home for the most part.

“We only went to the office as required if there is something that has to be held with someone or you know, we deliberately set off his days. We do not go into work five days a week,” she said.

According to the EDO head, this flexibility is important for women who have children and families of their own.
“They have praised the company time and time again because it has allowed them to spend more time with their children to ensure that they get them ready for school,” she stressed.

Ferrell said that one of the major misconceptions about the oil and gas sector is that it is primarily for men. This, however, is far from the truth; it also includes women who play a vital role in the field.

Women who work in the industry face unique challenges and opportunities. They have to be highly skilled and trained to handle the complex machinery and equipment used in drilling and exploration.

These women are involved in various aspects of the industry; from exploration and drilling to refining and distribution.

In addition, they work in various roles such as engineers, geologists, technicians, and managers, just like Ferrell.
The contributions of these women in the oil and gas industry are significant, and they continue to play an important role in the growth and development of the sector.