The Heavy-Duty Equipment Operator (HDEO) Training Programme at Critchlow Labour College was launched on Thursday, aiming to certify 74 participants—56 males and 18 females—for over 16 weeks.
Unique among the participants are a mother and son, who are among the 74 eager to gain certification in heavy-duty equipment operation, demonstrating the programme’s broad appeal and its potential to transform lives across generations.
This initiative, launched to strengthen the local workforce, is being facilitated by the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), through the Labour Ministry.
At the event, Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton, in his address, encouraged participants to approach the training with dedication and enthusiasm, emphasising the importance of this certification.
He assured them that the training goes beyond just certification: they will also receive a heavy-duty machine operation licence.
Some of the new traineesLabour Minister, Joseph Hamilton speaking at the event
“We will ensure that every person being trained has a licence to operate. When I became Minister, there were a lot of people around the country who had experience in operating, but most of them did not have their licences, and many companies would not and could not employ them. We have started to change that,” he stated.
The $3.9 million initiative will provide practical training, life skills development, safety gear, and a monthly stipend for the trainees.
The event also featured brief remarks from key officials, including Mr Dexter Cornette, Principal of the Guyana Industrial Training Centre (GITC), and Mr Alvin Jack, HDEO Instructor. Both expressed strong support for the programme, emphasising the significance of this training in providing new opportunities for the trainees.
Other key figures attending the recent event included BIT Technical Officer for Region 4, Mr Rohan Bishop, and Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Ms Marcel David-Watson.
