GOGEC’s President highlights success of training initiatives

AS Guyana’s energy sector continues to grow, the Guyana Oil and Gas Chamber (GOGEC), has proactively taken steps to engage and educate the youths, who are vital to the creation of a skilled and knowledgeable workforce.

This was according to GOGEC’s President, Manniram Prashad, during his remarks at GOGEC’s annual award ceremony.
He said that by collaborating with key stakeholders and expanding formal training initiatives, the chamber aims to empower Guyanese youths to tap into the lucrative opportunities within the energy sector, contributing to the nation’s overall development.
“GOGEC has opted, over the last two years, to focus heavily on educating stakeholders about the industry, particularly the youths in Guyana since they are the future. We have taken an aggressive approach to this,” Prashad said.

He referenced the chamber’s aggressive efforts in this endeavour, and outlined plans for the introduction of more formal and accredited training programmes to align with national initiatives led by President, Dr. Irfaan Ali and the Government of Guyana.
“Our aim is to introduce more formal and accredited training programmes for the sector in a way that complements the national initiatives,” he said.
GOGEC’s commitment to youth education, he said, is evident in its in-house training programmes, which have successfully trained approximately 2,000 students from around 85 schools across the country.

Those training seminars, generously sponsored by GTT, play a pivotal role in bridging the knowledge gap for Guyanese students, especially those preparing for CXC examinations and aspiring to enter university.
Prashad elaborated on the structure of the training programmes, highlighting the mentorship component, which involves inviting successful individuals from the industry to share their experiences.

Representatives from oil companies and seasoned professionals contribute insights to inspire and guide the aspiring youth.
“We have a mentor, someone who has achieved success. We invite them to speak for a few minutes. We get somebody from the oil company and somebody from the industry. And we have our education coordinator, Joel Bhagwandin, who coordinates all these programmes. All this is done through sponsorship,” Prashad said.
He further highlighted that these training programmes are designed to offer a brief yet comprehensive introduction to the oil and gas industry, catering to fifth formers preparing for CXC examinations and university students with limited exposure to the sector.
Prashad pointed out the positive response from participants, highlighting the significance of providing foundational knowledge that propels them toward future success.
“This brief training programme, an introductory training programme, paves the way for them, and they feel very nice about this. They learn something, and the response is very big,” Prashad related.

He said that, over the last few years, persons working in traditional areas such as mining, agricultural sector, and the services industry have transitioned into the energy sector. However, one of the serious impacts of this is a gap between the demand and the supply of young people who possess the requisite skills.
The government has been working intensely to build capacity over the next couple of years to fill that gap with many initiatives such as constructing the Guyana Technical Training College at Port Mourant, which will be the premier institution offering oil-and-gas training.

Along with this initiative is the much-needed National Hospitality Institute which will support the growth and development of tourism, as a rapidly emerging sector that should be equipped to provide a world-class experience in service delivery.

The Ministry of Natural Resources also runs a programme called “Youth in Natural Resources,” which allows young people to have an understanding, not only of oil and gas, but also of every other natural resources in the country.

The Ministry of Natural Resources, which is the lead agency on oil-and-gas management, is working with the Ministry of Education, as well as other agencies in the education sector to ensure that youths are more involved in the oil and gas sector.