We continue our editorial of yesterday, “Local Content Template” and turn to measures that should be instituted to increase the number of employees in the fledgling O&G industry. The first issue would be to ensure we get as many skilled and qualified personnel as possible in the shortest possible time. Since oil was struck simultaneously with their accession to office, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) should have immediately recalibrated our educational system – especially in the Technical and Vocational (TecVoc) area.
The University of Guyana (UG) is belatedly offering degrees in O&G sciences, but training institutions are short of experienced trainers and training facilities. To enhance competency of Guyanese in provision of the full range of services required in the industry, the local training and technical institutions will need to be supported by both Government and operators. The support will be required to develop the requisite capacity for these institutions to train Guyanese to comparable higher levels as required by the industry.
This measure should focus on all aspects of training: lower skill artisanal training such as catering services, transport logistics, drill ship training, etc; middle-level skill training of technicians to provide maintenance services in the oil and gas industry, etc; high-level skill training including general management, engineering design, procurement, business strategy development, Environmental Management and Emergency preparedness, Response and Recovery Plans.
Seminars and workshops could be used to create the necessary awareness and interest of local businesses in the development of the requisite technologies, provision of technical support, and provision of support functions for the O&G industry. Further, Guyana has to adopt the use of Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) that require the International Oil Companies (IOCs) to transfer their technology and knowledge.
The objective of the Government in this, then, would be to facilitate local training institutions to run the requisite curriculum relevant to the O&G industry and to execute the following policies: ensure support to local training and technical institutions; encourage the use of specialised input, technology and knowledge through adoption of the use of PSAs to allow participation of the IOCs; ensure the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in oil and gas; and ensure that Research and Development functions in the country are strengthened to accommodate the needs of the oil and gas industry.
In addition to the training of Guyanese, the IOCs should be expected to prepare on-the-job training programmes in all aspects of the industry’s activities, which may be carried out in or outside the country. They should also facilitate recruitment of the same in their supply chains in Guyana. Furthermore, they should ensure that opportunities are given as far as possible for the employment of Guyanese having the requisite expertise or qualifications in the various levels of the operations.
Such programmes should provide field training to Guyanese in senior management positions, supervisory positions, skilled positions and semi/unskilled positions, and shall be reassessed and revised on an annual basis (the “Annual Recruitment and Training Programme). The latter should include scholarships, industrial training for students and other financial support for education. Scholarships should only be given to Guyanese nationals and should be publicly advertised.
To enhance transparency and effectiveness in the implementation of this policy direction, operators, contractors, sub-contractors, service providers, etc. should publicly advertise and give preference to the employment of Guyanese citizens who have the requisite qualification, competence and experience required to carry out the required work.
Where a foreign national is being given employment, a succession plan to a Guyanese national needs to be submitted with the work permit application. The implementation of this succession plan will influence the extension of work permit applications. This would give effect that the employers take every reasonable effort within a reasonable time frame to empower the Guyanese national to be able to perform the same job that the foreign national was brought to perform. Employers in the industry should prepare a scheme for training Guyanese employees that would be reviewed annually.
