IN a significant move to enhance technical and vocational education in Guyana, the government has officially broken ground on the highly anticipated Occupational Safety and Health Centre of Excellence (OSHCE), a state-of-the-art facility that promises to revolutionise safety training and workplace readiness across the country.
The ceremonial sod-turning event for the project was held on Friday last at the New Amsterdam Technical Institute (NATI), where the new training centre will be constructed. This landmark initiative is the result of a strategic collaboration between the Greater Guyana Initiative (GGI), the Ministry of Education, the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET), and LearnCorp International, all working together to raise the bar for occupational safety standards in Guyana’s workforce.
Spanning 2,592 square feet, the centre is scheduled to open its doors in January 2026 and is poised to serve as the premier national hub for safety education, training, and certification.
The establishment of the OSHCE builds upon a foundation laid in 2019, when the Occupational Safety and Health Programme was first introduced in Guyana. Since then, it has contributed meaningfully to the ongoing transformation of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system.
The programme has facilitated critical infrastructure and equipment upgrades, extensive instructor training and mentorship, and the launch of the Basic Industrial Safety Training (BIST) programme across all TVET institutions.
The core aim of these efforts is to embed a “safety-first” mindset within every student who enters the system ensuring that safety protocols become second nature long before they step foot onto an actual job site. By doing so, the programme not only enhances personal safety but also strengthens Guyana’s broader workforce readiness and productivity.
Speaking at the sod-turning ceremony, President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, hailed the OSHCE as a transformative step toward building a new generation of safety-conscious professionals.
“I believe we can all agree, transforming the safety culture of an entire nation is no small feat. But I am convinced that we have the right people, the right programmes, and the right partnerships to achieve that vision. And importantly, we have already taken the first bold steps.”
Routledge emphasised that the centre will function as the national host for the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) Level 3 Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health, allowing students to gain internationally recognised certification in the field. This will contribute to a growing pipeline of trained professionals equipped to meet the demands of Guyana’s rapidly expanding industrial and energy sectors, especially as major players like ExxonMobil, SBM Offshore, and other international firms continue to establish a strong presence in the country.
“This facility will serve as the national host for the reintroduction of the CVQ Occupational Safety and Health Level 3 Diploma Programme, creating a pipeline of highly skilled, safety-conscious professionals to support Guyana’s rapidly expanding industrial sector.”
Routledge also announced an ambitious training initiative to extend Basic Industrial Safety Training to every new TVET student at the start of each academic year, with the goal of reaching over 1,000 students per semester.
“With the continued support of our growing team, we will roll out basic industrial safety training to every incoming TVET student at the start of each academic year,” he said.
Also addressing the gathering was Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, who framed the initiative as part of a larger national effort to rethink and re-engineer how business and development are approached in Guyana.
“This is the era for us to do things differently,” Minister Singh declared. “The current era in Guyana is not an era to be met with business as usual.”
He underscored the urgency of elevating standards across all sectors, particularly in health and safety, as Guyana integrates more deeply into the global economy. Whether working with multinational giants like ExxonMobil, Hess Corporation, SINAP, or smaller international firms, Singh stressed that compliance with global standards is non-negotiable.
He pointed out that there is no longer room for negligence in workplace safety, stressing that gone are the days when one would walk onto a work site without a safety vest, helmet and boots. Singh added that an instant quantum leap is needed in how the country does business, especially when it comes to occupational safety and health.
When completed, the Occupational Safety and Health Centre of Excellence is expected to serve not only the students of the New Amsterdam Technical Institute but will act as a national model for similar initiatives countrywide.
The project represents a unified vision of public-private partnership, educational advancement, and workforce development aimed at positioning Guyana as a leader in industrial safety standards across the Caribbean.