GUYANA’S oil and gas industry is expanding at an unprecedented pace. Yet, amid this acceleration, one question has become increasingly urgent: are our local workers ready to meet the rising demand for skilled professionals?
The competition for talent has intensified, not only in oil and gas but also in construction, infrastructure, and transportation. Without a skilled workforce, sustaining Guyana’s ambitious growth plans will be a serious challenge, especially as operations expand and technical demands increase.
In 2023, the Centre for Local Business Development (CLBD) conducted a labour survey that highlighted the scale of this challenge. The study revealed that over 53,000 new workers will be needed across key sectors over the next five years. Supporting this, Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, Keoma Griffith, noted that Guyana’s rapid economic growth, projected at 10.3% in 2025, must be matched by investments in people to ensure that prosperity benefits the workforce.
This is precisely where initiatives like the Guyana Technical Training College Inc. (GTTCI), through the support of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited, SBM Offshore Guyana and the Government of Guyana, make a real difference. The College recently welcomed its first full cohort in the Advanced Diploma in Oil and Gas programme at its Port Mourant campus in Berbice. This 18-month course provides hands-on training in Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation, and Production disciplines, all essential for offshore operations.
In the past, trainees completed parts of their studies in Canada. Today, for the first time, every aspect of the programme is delivered right here in Guyana. With modern classrooms, specialised workshops, and a high-tech Facility Simulator (FacTor), students can now complete their training entirely at home. This approach reduces costs, retains talent, and strengthens the country’s local content and workforce capability.
The inaugural cohort includes 28 trainees from leading industry companies: 20 from SBM Offshore Guyana, six from MODEC, and two from Puffer Guyana. They represent the first wave of professionals fully trained in-country. The programme is internationally accredited by the UK’s City & Guilds, ensuring that graduates meet global standards and remain competitive both locally and internationally.
More importantly, this initiative is about empowering people. By providing fully local, internationally-recognised training, GTTCI ensures that the wealth generated from Guyana’s oil and gas sector translates into local opportunity.
As Guyana continues to harness its oil and gas resources, one truth stands out: the greatest resource shaping the nation’s future is not just what lies beneath the seabed, it is the people above it, now fully trained and ready to lead.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.