Residents of Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), are being encouraged to take greater advantage of oil and gas and technical training opportunities at the Guyana Technical Training College Inc. (GTTCI).
Professor Clement Sankat, Director of GTTCI, made the appeal on April 10 during the graduation of the college’s third cohort of trainee technicians, noting that while Guyanese are entering the sector, more participation is needed, especially from communities closest to training facilities.
“What is bothering me is that numbers are declining, and I want to therefore raise this matter to my Berbicians community, especially the parents and guardians… We must embrace technical education as a pathway to successful careers in the years ahead as Guyana continues to march forward,” the GTTCI Director said.
GTTCI, located in Region Six, was established to support workforce development for Guyana’s expanding oil and gas industry. Sankat emphasized that the institution continues to build capacity to train more Guyanese, with new programs and upgraded facilities in development.
“We have built the labs, we’re working to equip them… We need all of it to come together to shape where we are going for Guyana’s localization and advancement,” he added.
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The Trainee Technician program was developed through a partnership between ExxonMobil Guyana, SBM Offshore Guyana, the Guyana government, and Learn Corp. International. Upon completion of the training, graduates earn Advanced Diplomas in electrical, mechanical, instrumentation, and production disciplines relevant to Guyana’s growing energy sector.
“We must expand access so that more Guyanese can benefit from this training facility… The world now needs technology much more than only healthcare, education, banking, and finance. All important, but we are focused on technical skills that will guarantee you a job. You see these guys and ladies? They’re going straight to a job in oil and gas,” Professor Sankat told the gathering.
Oil and gas development is expanding beyond offshore production, with Region Six emerging as a key area for future energy infrastructure and industrial growth. Plans tied to ExxonMobil Guyana’s developments include expanding gas utilization and evaluating pipeline options that could extend such planned industrial activity beyond Wales on the West Bank of Demerara to Berbice.
Berbice is increasingly part of the national conversation on how oil and gas resources can drive wider economic development, including new business opportunities and long-term regional growth. According to the GTTCI Director, a skilled workforce plays a major role in aiding these developments.
