Oil, the earth’s black gold, lies deep beneath waters in Guyana’s exclusive economic zone and has been propelling the South American country to new heights. Opportunities are boundless but a major problem exists – labor. And Guyana needs lots of it, the country just does not have enough. And the fact that Guyanese are leaving the homeland to pursue opportunities elsewhere does not help.
The U.S. State Department put out its “2024 Investment Climate Statement” on Guyana days ago. In it, a glaring figure was quoted.
“At 89 percent, Guyana has one of the highest emigration rates in the world for nationals with a university degree,” the report read. “A significant number of businesses report challenges with staff recruitment and retention. These issues are linked to a small pool of semi-skilled and skilled workers.” It also pointed out Guyana’s brain drain is evident – nurses and teachers emigrate in high numbers.
See more here: Guyana salary levels “in another few years” will win back migrating nurses – Ali | OilNOW
These are the facts. Right now, Guyana needs more than 53,000 workers in the next five years, just to support its ever-expanding oil sector and its agriculture, construction and transportation sectors. This finding was made by the Centre for Local Business Development (CLBD) in its ‘Guyana Skilled Labor Assessment Study’.
But there are 22 sectors in Guyana. What happens to the rest?
Data pulled from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) had pointed out that Guyana would need 160,000 more workers to support the swelling tide of oil-related developments alone. The situation is not different globally. Rystad Energy estimates that over 30,000 workers are needed around the world just for 2024.
The U.S. State Department recommended that companies coming to Guyana invest in training opportunities for their employees. And that has been happening, especially for oil. ExxonMobil Guyana has partnered with stakeholders to deliver technical training to Guyanese. SBM Offshore has been providing hands-on floating production, storage and offloading training for Guyanese at its facility simulator. Meanwhile, a venture between 3t EnerMech and Orinduik Development Incorporated Training Centre delivered Guyana’s first in-country, state-of-the-art training facility for the local workforce. Guyana also has an oil and gas and hospitality training center.
Work is being done, just not fast enough. In fact, oil companies have resorted to plucking students from the country’s premier university even before they graduate just to fill the gap. On the other hand, they import the labor they need. A migration policy is in the works to ensure this practice is controlled.
In the meantime, Guyana is attempting to lure its citizens back home. The government has planned a massive diaspora job fair. The event will take place on July 27 at the New York LaGuardia Airport Marriott, 102-05 Ditmars Boulevard, East Elmhurst. The government’s press arm said that “dozens of Guyanese companies” have already registered.
