AS Guyana continues its ascent as a significant player in the global oil and gas industry, the Government of Guyana has been steadfast in its commitment to local content development, ensuring that local companies benefit from the burgeoning sector. In response, oil and gas companies have been investing strategically in projects and initiatives that support this goal.

One such initiative was the establishment of the Centre for Local Business Development (CLBD) in 2017 by ExxonMobil. Now supported by the Greater Guyana Initiative, (ExxonMobil Guyana, Hess and CNOOC-backed) CLBD stands as a vital institution dedicated to ensuring local businesses are not left behind in this rapid economic transformation.

The Centre’s mission is clear: to support and empower local businesses in understanding and capitalising on the expanding opportunities within Guyana’s diverse energy and non-energy sectors.

It has positioned itself as the go-to hub for access to training and programmes tailored to market trends and needs. The Centre offers a comprehensive suite of programmes, including training in oil and gas, safety, management, finance, and marketing. Additionally, there are specialised mentorship programmes in Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (HSSE) and Project Management.

Training includes introductory courses on Oil and Gas, Gas-to-Energy, and Oil and Gas Procurement. The Centre’s safety training covers HSSE Audits, Workforce Training, and a comprehensive understanding of Guyana’s labour requirements. Management training offers courses in Project Management, Customer Service and Ethics, and Grant and Proposal Writing. In finance, the Centre provides a course on Cash Flow Management, and in marketing.

There are also sessions tailored to Pitch Development, Go2Market strategies, Customer Mapping, and Social Media Marketing. These programmes emphasise business management, technical skill enhancement, and compliance with industry standards.

In addition to capacity-building programmes, the Centre facilitates networking opportunities, connecting local businesses with companies regionally and internationally. These initiatives have yielded significant benefits for local businesses, enabling them to build their capacity, increase their competitiveness, and expand. The training and mentorship provided by the Centre have contributed to fostering a safe work culture within organisations and an understanding of adhering to local laws and regulations.

Chung’s Global Incorporated, a construction company with over 20 years of experience, has benefitted from the Centre’s training. Chung’s Global benefitted from the HSSE Mentorship Programme, ISO 9001 Certification, Introduction to Oil and Gas and Gas-to-Energy, Project Management, and AccelerateHer. Keisha Chung, one of the Directors of Chung’s Global, shared that the training her company received resulted in many improvements across the operations of their company. Chung’s Global provides a variety of services, including machine and equipment rental, construction of buildings, roads, bridges, and parking lots, as well as transportation services for construction materials.

Guyana Logistics and Support Services Incorporated (GLASS) another beneficiary of the Centre’s support, provides logistics, customs brokerage, and support services to foreign clients operating or looking to do business in Guyana. GLASS has received training in Project Management, HSSE Mentorship, and ISO 9001 Certification.

Glenn Low-A-Chee, the Managing Director of GLASS, expressed that the training received from the Centre provided capacity building for his employees to better service clients and the industry. SEAJ EcoClean Service is another success story; the company offers professional residential and commercial cleaning services with a focus on reducing harmful emissions and exposure to toxic solutions.

Simone Forde, Chief Executive Officer of SEAJ Eco Cleaning has expressed that she has been with the Centre from its conception and has benefitted from almost all of the training available – from Introduction to Oil and Gas and Gas-to-Energy Course, Human Resource Management, Project Management, HSSE Mentorship Programme and even their AccelerateHer Programme.

Since its opening, the Centre has registered over 7,000 businesses on its Centre Hub, helped 100 companies build their HSSE Management Systems, guided over 5,000 individuals through oil and gas awareness seminars, conducted multiple in-depth analytics reports for clients, and hosted nearly 10 business missions for companies from Canada, the USA, and Brazil.