The Guyana Technical Training College Inc. (GTTCI) plays a pivotal role in preparing Guyanese for technical jobs in the country’s expanding oil and gas sector. According to Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer, Director of Vreed-en-Hoop Shorebase Inc., the institution has the potential to build a highly skilled workforce and raise incomes across communities.
Guyana launches advanced tech training hub to put citizens at the helm of oil & gas boom | OilNOW
Prospective graduates of the college will be trained for technical roles that support offshore production systems, including production, mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation technicians, as well as cargo operators.
Speaking on the latest edition of the Starting Point podcast, Deygoo-Boyer said demand for skilled workers has been strong across the sector. “Before that training center came about, almost all of the graduates of the aeronautical training school were then going on to the oil and gas industry.”
He said offshore production requires a steady supply of trained workers to support rotating crews. “Because each FPSO, the population on board is around 200 plus persons, and they can’t stay there for 12 months of the year. So, you have to have a sort of change-out. So, that means in maybe two months, you have to have 400 people to staff a vessel.”
He noted that building training capacity is essential to meeting that demand. “You have to have these sorts of facilities… to be able to create that workforce.”
Deygoo-Boyer said the benefits extend beyond employment. “When you look at the salaries that these guys earn…they’re taking home quite a bit that will transform their lives. When you look at it from a societal point of view, we are doing something that is positively affecting the country.”
The growth of Guyana’s oil and gas sector has driven a significant expansion of the local workforce, creating more opportunities for skilled professionals across upstream and offshore operations.
Approximately 9,000 people are now employed in Guyana’s oil and gas sector, with roughly 70% of them being Guyanese. According to ExxonMobil Guyana President, Alistair Routledge, this 70% represents about 6,300 local workers, including around 300 who are relatively new to the industry.
