A strategic investment to prepare Guyanese for high-level jobs in the country’s oil and gas and other advanced industries is how the newly opened Guyana Technical Training College Inc. (GTTCI) was described by President Irfaan Ali today, February 14.
The project was developed in collaboration with ExxonMobil Guyana Limited, CNOOC and Hess Corporation.
“It is one of the, if not the most strategic investment we have made so far in oil and gas. It will develop our workforce. It’s an investment in our workforce. An investment in the future of our country,” President Ali said.
The college, located at Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice, offers an 18-month training course ranging from Production Technician Training to Instrumentation, Electrical, and Mechanical programs, with each discipline further branching into its respective specialised fields.
The Trainee Technician Program was piloted by SBM Offshore and is now being executed at the GTTCI under the purview of the government and Exxon.
The first phase of the state-of-the-art facility was commissioned on February 9, 2024 – an initiative largely led by SBM Offshore Guyana, Stabroek block co-venturers ExxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC, and the government of Guyana. US$13 million has been invested in the facility simulator dubbed FacTor. Overall, over US$100 million will be invested.
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The training institute was described as a medium for advancing several national objectives simultaneously, including human capital development, local content participation, regional equity, economic diversification, youth empowerment and international competitiveness.
In his remarks at the ceremony, the Guyanese Leader said the underlying strategy is to convert oil revenues into a highly skilled national workforce capable of sustaining a modern industrial economy.
He explained that Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) has been designated the national oil and gas technical training capital. He said the government’s intention is not only to support current petroleum operations, but also to position Guyana among the top global STEM training environments, aligned with industry demand.
“The GTTCI trains Guyanese in technical disciplines critical to oil and gas operations. The full GTTCI campus has produced more than 50 Guyanese graduates, with an additional 20 trainees scheduled to graduate in 2026. Importantly, in just over three years, the program has expanded to include specialized petroleum support roles,” Ali said.
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President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, said the initiative began with a clear objective. “We had to maximize the opportunity for Guyanese to benefit from the development of your resource.”
Routledge said the curriculum aligns with real field needs, including production vessels, subsea systems and maintenance programs. “We need people who understand the equipment, who understand the standards, and who can operate safely and efficiently.”
He said the aim is to reduce reliance on foreign labor by building local capacity. “This is about creating a pipeline of Guyanese talent to support the growth of the industry.”
