GEORGETOWN, Guyana, (DPI) – The government’s drive to include citizens in the rapidly growing oil and gas sector is beginning to yield results. Thanks in large part to the administration’s local content policy and support from the private sector, about 3,000 Guyanese have now received specialized training in the industry. And nearly all of them, an impressive 99 percent, have been able to find jobs.
The success is being driven by 3t EnerMech Guyana Training Centre of Excellence, located in Lusignan on the East Cost of Demerara. The centre is a joint venture between Guyana’s Orinduik Development Incorporated, Windsor Technologies, and 3t EnerMech.It is the first local institution accredited to deliver internationally recognized OPITO-certified training for oil and gas workers.
Orinduik chairman Harrychand Tulsi said the results are transforming lives. He estimates that if each trained individual earns just US$3,000 more per month than before, the total boost to the economy is estimated to be around US$9 million every month.
The training centre features hands-on facilities, including a welding shop, lifting and rigging stations, a technology suite, and even a 14-foot deep survival pool for offshore training.
Saffrina Viveirous is a young Guyanese who recently completed training as an Emergency Response Team Member at the leading oil and gas training centre.
“It is great to have the opportunity and not be able to go all the way to the next country,” she said. “It is actually beneficial for us.”
Similar sentiments were shared by Muarisia James, a Quality, Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (QHSSE) advisor at the Guyana Shore Base Incorporated (GYSBI), who said: “It [the programme] is excellent,” adding that it saves and allows Guyanese to excel in careers that were not possible in the past.
To second facility, Orinduik Marine Services (OMS), has just launched to provide training in offshore navigation, safety and subsea technologies. It aims to serve both Guyanese and other Caribbean nationals, equipping them for high-demand roles in the industry.
These efforts are part of a broader national strategy under the Local Content Act of 2021, which requires oil and gas operators to prioritize the development of local talent.
