$20B Technical Training College Facility a major boost for oil and gas workforce development – Natural Resources Ministry

The Natural Resources Ministry has welcomed the official opening of the $20 billion Guyana Technical Training College Inc (GTTCI) at Port Mourant, Berbice, describing the institution as a major investment in the country’s human capital development.

The college was commissioned on Saturday by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who announced that Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) has been formally designated the national capital for oil and gas technical training. The GTTCI was realised under the vision of President Ali to establish a premier institute to train Guyanese in oil and gas and other critical skilled trades. The facility will deliver world-class certification in key technical disciplines, including production operations, instrumentation, electrical and mechanical training. A key feature of the institution is a Facility Simulator (FacTor), established in 2024 by SBM Offshore with support from the Stabroek Block partners and the Government of Guyana. The simulator replicates the environment of a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel and is designed to familiarise students with offshore operations. It will support an 18-month intensive residential programme leading to a globally accredited Advanced Diploma in Oil and Gas: Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation and Production. Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat said the simulator represents a source of national pride and eliminates the need to send students overseas, particularly to Canada, for similar training. He noted that the facility ranks among one in ten globally and positions Guyana as a leader in oil sector management among new producers. President Ali, addressing the opening ceremony, said the college is a strategic investment aimed at transforming oil revenues into long-term national capacity. “It’s an investment in a workforce, an investment in the future of our country,” the President stated, adding that the institution forms a central pillar of the Government’s strategy to build a highly skilled Guyanese workforce. He explained that while the college is initially intended to serve Guyanese, it is positioned to attract trainees from Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and other regional territories engaged in deep-water energy development.
The President also linked the institution to Guyana’s Local Content Act and broader economic objectives, noting that the country must ensure citizens and businesses benefit directly from oil production. By producing certified technicians, process operators and industrial maintenance specialists, the college is expected to help meet local content targets and reduce reliance on imported labour. According to the Natural Resources Ministry, the GTTCI is set to position Guyana to meet domestic workforce needs as well as to serve the wider region with technical training and capacity building.