Guyana invests US$150,000 per trainee to close oil and gas skills gap – Pres Ali

With each trainee representing an estimated US$150,000 investment and equipment in some laboratories valued at as much as US$180,000 per unit, the Government has now relocated to Berbice the very oil and gas training programme that once required Guyanese to travel to Canada, ending the costly overseas model and establishing Port Mourant as the country’s premier technical hub for offshore workforce development.

President Dr Irfaan Ali, speaking on the podcast “Tea on the Terrace”, explained that when Guyana’s offshore development accelerated in 2019, the country did not yet possess the technical infrastructure required to prepare maintenance and production technicians for Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) operations. As a result, the first cohorts of trainees were sent to Cape Breton University in Canada to complete the 12-month foundational programme before transitioning offshore.
That overseas model, he noted, came with significant logistical and financial demands: international travel, accommodation, specialised laboratory access, and extended offshore rotations. While necessary at the time, it underscored the absence of a domestic training ecosystem capable of meeting the demands of a rapidly expanding oil and gas sector.
Through collaboration with LearnCorp International, an extension of Cape Breton University, the entire programme has now been transferred to Guyana. According to Phil Doody of LearnCorp, four complete cohorts were trained in Canada before the knowledge base, curriculum, and equipment were transported to the Guyana Technical Training Institute (GTTI) in the Port Mourant, Berbice facility.
“Beginning in 2019, we welcomed the first cohort of students to Cape Breton University… We completed that exercise four complete times, and now we are continuing that journey here in Guyana at GTTI,” Doody said.
He added that the team was responsible for procuring, transporting, installing, and commissioning the equipment now housed at the Berbice complex, describing the facility as unmatched in Guyana and competitive at the regional and international level.
President Ali emphasised that the transition significantly reduces the need for costly offshore-based training.
“This 18-month programme will reduce 18 months of being offshore and getting trained. Every person going offshore is very expensive,” the President said, referencing helicopter transfers and operational logistics.
He further stressed the scale of direct investment being made in each participant.
“If someone had to pay for this training, it would have been US$150,000. That is the investment we are making in each one of the young persons here.”
Beyond the institutional shift, several trainees shared how the relocation of the programme to Guyana has transformed their career paths.

Exceeds traditional industrial exposure
Dhanraj Kishun, who previously worked as an electrician before joining SBM Offshore, said the depth of preparation now being delivered locally far exceeds traditional industrial exposure.
“Since entering this training programme, I have learned so much information. They teach you fire and gas, control of work, and permit systems. They are basically preparing you for when you go offshore, already equipped with the tools necessary to perform your job safely and effectively.”
For Jessica Johnson, a Berbice native who studied electrical engineering in Georgetown before joining the offshore programme, the presence of the facility at Port Mourant represents opportunity closer to home.
“SBM has given us the opportunity to take our careers to that next level. The fact that we have the training facility here now in Guyana means we bring Canada to us.”
Others emphasised the immersive nature of the training, particularly the focus on safety, a critical requirement for offshore operations.
Mugabe Rose described the programme as transformative.
“Ever since transitioning to the oil and gas industry, it’s been quite an immersive experience… especially with the emphasis being paid on safety and efficiency.”

Long-term national strategy
The manpower planning implications were underscored by Labour and Manpower Planning Minister Keon Griffith, who described the investment as a long-term national strategy.
“We are not only transforming this country, but we are also making investments that we will reap and see 10, 20, 30, 40, or 100 years from now.”
Griffith acknowledged that Guyana currently faces a labour shortage across multiple sectors but said the training complex is designed to close that gap.
“We are putting in investment to have that manpower planning element so that we can catch up.”
The private sector has also welcomed the localisation of the programme, viewing it as a major boost to local content and workforce competitiveness.
President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Kathy Smith, said the presence of the facility in Guyana closes a critical gap between training and industry demand.
“From the private sector standpoint, we are happy that now the gap is being filled. No longer do we have to take the trainees to Canada. Right here in Guyana, we can train them.”
She noted that the demand for skilled technicians extends beyond oil and gas.
“The oil and gas sector alone is waiting on them. The construction sector needs them. The aeronautics sector needs them. Even the mining sector.”
The discussion also highlighted parallel investments in economic diversification. Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Suzan Rodrigues pointed to the construction of a world-class Hospitality Institute adjacent to the technical complex, designed to train thousands of Guyanese for the expanding tourism sector.
“Thousands of people will be trained to enhance our tourism and hospitality sector that you are investing heavily in for Guyana.”
She confirmed that billions of dollars are being invested in hospitality infrastructure as part of the broader development strategy.
Meanwhile, President Ali framed the twin developments as symbolic of the country’s transformation.
“You have oil and gas over here. You have tourism and hospitality over there. A true example of diversifying our economy.”
He added, “Here on Tea on the Terrace, we don’t speak about development. Development speaks for itself.”