Thirty-year-old Vandon Worrell, a resident of Tuschen on the West Coast of Guyana’s Demerara County, shares an inspiring story of determination and growth – one that started in the humblest of places: cleaning rooms and public toilets offshore.
Worrell started as a housekeeper at Newrest, where he often asked colleagues how they had moved into higher roles. “One safety guy told me ‘do your own research’,” he shared in a motivational post on LinkedIn recently. That advice pushed him to seek guidance, which he eventually found through ExxonMobil Marine Ceon Hudson.
“He took the time to give me a full breakdown, what courses to study, how the system works, and what path could take me forward. That one conversation changed everything,” Worrell said.
Determined to take the next step, he left Newrest and joined Leader Guyana as a steward aboard the Stena Carron drillship. At the same time, he began studying logistics through UniAthena, an online platform offering affordable programs. “I took a course in UniAthena specializing in Supply Chain,” he explained. “I did a course in Alison diploma courses…those were free courses but I had to pay for the certificate. It’s what I could afford at that time.”
His persistence paid off. While still working in catering, Worrell used every spare moment to learn. He got the chance to fill in as a night-shift radio room operator and used that opportunity to train for a new career path. “I spent every break, every end of shift learning and training,” he said. “I worked that position until the StenaDrill Max left.”
The breakthrough came when he was offered the position of Offshore Logistics Coordinator I with ExxonMobil. “I am truly grateful to God and to both Leader Guyana and ExxonMobil for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to grow,” Worrell said.
Today, he continues to explore options to further his education and encourages others not to give up. “If I can do it, you can too,” he wrote. “Your starting point doesn’t define your ending point. Keep learning. Keep asking. Keep pushing. Your breakthrough might be one decision, one course, or one conversation away.”
