-as Rehoboth Workforce Development Centre, BIT partnership achieves success

OIL, gas, and technology are sectors that have skyrocketed in Guyana in recent years, and the Rehoboth Workforce Development Centre, in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Manpower’s Board of Industrial Training (BIT), has recognised the urgent need to fill the gap in fibre-optic training, a field experiencing growing demand.

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle, Chief Executive Officer Sherissa Phillips stated that the venture has grown tremendously since its launch in 2022, having trained over 200 Guyanese to date.

Moving forward, the company plans to expand the programme to include training in a wider range of areas to meet the growing demand for a skilled workforce in a rapidly developing Guyana.

Rehoboth Workforce Development Centre was originally conceptualised more than five years ago, in 2020. Phillips related that following the pandemic, while many businesses were reopening and industries were rebuilding, she and her husband and business partner noticed the gap that existed in Guyana’s workforce for skilled personnel in many areas, one of the most pressing being fibre-optics installation and repair.

“Our focus primarily is on bridging the technical skills gap in the Guyanese market. One of the areas we zeroed in on, which we realised was an immediate need, is fibre optics. All of the major ISP providers right now use fibre-optic network infrastructure. What we do is train men and women in fibre optics so that they can support the rapid expansion of fibre optics here in Guyana,” she said adding, “We would have started an engagement with the Board of Industrial Training back in 2020. We discussed the gap that is in Guyana, that fibre optics is the going thing, but there is not sufficient labour that is skilled and certified. We started that back in 2020 under another parent company, and fast forward to 2026, here we are.”

Talks with BIT in 2021 led to a partnership that the board calls successful, and one that Phillips says has been incredibly impactful on the lives of more than 200 Guyanese.

Through BIT’s sponsorship of some 130 participants, the programme has helped bridge gaps in Guyana’s workforce. “Over the past five years, we would have trained over 200 persons, with a majority of those persons being sponsored by the Government of Guyana. From 2021, the Board of Industrial Training did approximately two cohorts, coming up to about 30 persons being trained and certified in fibre optics,” Phillips added.

“Fast forward to 2026, we would have trained a total of 130 persons in partnership with the Board of Industrial Training. They have been committed from day one in bridging that particular gap that is in the market. I can sincerely say they have done an excellent job in partnership with us in bringing that to reality.”

The training process is rigorous and demanding, as Phillips explained. It costs USD $1,200 per person and requires a total of 40 contact hours over four to six weeks. The curriculum includes both theory and practical components, with theory facilitated by instructors from Trinidad and Tobago, while practical training is conducted by two BIT graduates.

Students then write the ETA Certificate examination, a standard and internationally recognised course.

According to Phillips, the goal of the programme is to equip graduates with the tools they need to succeed both in Guyana and internationally. “Our intent is to ensure they don’t just come and get a certificate that collects dust on a shelf. When they get to the practicals and start linking the theoretical concepts to the actual application in the field, that is when the excitement reaches its peak,” she said.

“They know this is a great opportunity for them to accelerate their career. There are some females too, and they really embody the experience,” she added.

While the company does work beyond fibre-optic training, particularly in data communication training, business consultancy, and human resource solutions, Phillips believes that workforce training in Guyana must match the country’s rapid growth.

“What we want to see within the next five years is working collaboratively with organisations to help them achieve key business goals. Success to me would look like a company coming back and saying what we did worked.”

Phillips is also encouraging Guyanese to take advantage of the opportunities emerging across the country’s industries. “You are in the fastest-growing economy in the world. There are a lot of opportunities. You just have to find the one that works for you and go behind it. Stay positive, look for the opportunity, and go after it.”