The Office of the President said that the government and ExxonMobil affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), will team up to provide oil and gas training to locals.
The commitment was made during a high-level meeting between officials on both sides on Thursday, at the Office of the President in Georgetown.
Guyana’s President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and EEPGL President, Alistair Routledge, led the discussions.
Government said talks focused on the establishment of a Guyana Technical Training Institute.
The administration has been pushing for mechanisms to be put in place that allow for more Guyanese to receive specialized training in oil and gas, as part of its broader efforts at maximising benefits to the population from the rapidly developing industry.
International firms operating in the South American country have also been doing their part to train Guyanese in oil and gas, such as SBM Offshore, the company contracted by ExxonMobil to build and operate the oil production vessels offshore.
Just recently, the company announced that seven graduate engineers arrived in Singapore for hands-on training on the Prosperity FPSO, which is being constructed to support the Payara development at the Stabroek Block.
SBM Offshore has said it intends to repeat the programme given how well it has been going and the clear benefits being derived.
At the conclusion of the 18-month programme the graduates are to be fully immersed in the company’s Guyana operations in roles that they are firstly most interested in, and secondly, which fit their background and areas of training.