Another batch of Guyanese has completed the first phase of SBM Offshore Guyana’s Trainee Technician Programme at LearnCorp International (LCI) at Cape Breton University in Canada. According to a statement from the company this week, the graduates were honoured at a small ceremony on August 22.
Over a 12-month period, the aspiring technicians received advanced skills training across four disciplines – Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation and Production – enhancing their knowledge of petroleum operations. This milestone brings them one step closer to being the next generation of qualified technicians to operate and maintain the Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels in Guyana. Phase two of their training will soon commence at the Facility Simulator (FacTor) Unit of the Guyana Technical Training College Incorporated (GTTCI) in Port Mourant, Berbice.
During the ceremony, David C. Dingwall, President and Vice-Chancellor of Cape Breton University, extended words of encouragement to the young pioneers. “As you leave here today, I encourage you to carry with you a spirit of exploration and leadership. The world needs your ideas, your courage and your commitment,” he said.
SBM Offshore Guyana’s Human Resources Manager, Shaun Prince, commended the trainees for their hard work and underscored the importance of the occasion.
“For SBM Offshore Guyana, this milestone represents progress in our commitment to developing a local workforce, building national capacity and ensuring Guyanese are a part of the heart of our sector’s growth. You are proof that when we invest in people, we create lasting value. Not only at SBM Offshore Guyana, but for communities, families and our country,” Prince noted.
The programme has a heavy focus on safety, an element that is integral in SBM Offshore’s global operations. Matthew Correia, Training Analyst on the Prosperity FPSO: “At SBM Offshore, we hold this value close, protecting lives by fostering a culture that blends both safety and competence going hand in hand together.”
He added that through continuous training and development, “we ensure that the people are equipped to uphold this standard every day.”
President of LearnCorp International Phil Doody also shared words of wisdom with the trainees. He emphasised that while academic performance is very important, “it is the attitude that each of you bring to the workplace every day that will shape your future”.
He said the person with the top marks has no more guarantee to be the first Guyanese Offshore Installation manager than the person who finished last. “Success is built on work ethic, attitude and how you treat others,” Doody stressed.
The ceremony marked the final batch of Guyanese trainees who will receive training abroad under the programme. Future cohorts will receive full training at the GTTCI, which has been outfitted with the necessary equipment to execute this initial stage of training as well.
The Trainee Technician Programme, piloted in 2020, is one of several initiatives undertaken by SBM Offshore Guyana to build the capacity of young Guyanese, thereby strengthening the local workforce that supports the oil and gas industry.
The programme is now a key initiative that aligns with the requirements of the Local Content Act, which was enacted in 2021.
