Job guarantee, $130K salary for over 800 new nursing assistants

The Government of Guyana has delivered on its promise to revolutionise health education and job creation, with over 800 nursing assistants graduating from the Hybrid Nursing Assistant Training Programme, all of whom are now guaranteed jobs with a starting salary of $134,000 per month, according to Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony.
The historic graduation at the National Cultural Center, which saw 864 students completing the programme, marks a transformative moment in Guyana’s public healthcare system.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Anthony emphasised that graduates would be strategically placed in new and existing health facilities, particularly in modern regional hospitals currently under construction in Moruca, Kato, and Lethem.
“As you know, the president has made a commitment to everyone that we train, and his standard line is always that once you’re trained, that we will give you a job. So, as you graduate, you have a job now with the government of Guyana and in the military. And I think I’m told that the starting salary will be at $134,000 a month. So, every one of you, you have a job with us. So, depending on which region, we’ll be putting you to work in these different facilities,” Dr Anthony said.
The Hybrid Nursing Assistant Training Programme, conducted in partnership with Coursera, is designed to provide accessible, high-quality nursing education to participants across all ten regions.
The programme achieved an 80 percent pass rate, with 46 students graduating with distinction and 392 with credit. Training was extended to candidates from every region of Guyana, with the largest cohorts coming from Region Six, Ten, Region Four and Five.
According to Ministry, a total of 19 students graduated from Region One (Barima-Waini), 52 from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), 72 from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), 122 from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), 119 from Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), 153 from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), 22 from Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), 17 from Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), 19 from Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and 133 from Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
Additionally, 35 students from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) nursing programme completed the training.
Dr. Anthony made it clear that this is not the end of the road for the graduates, explaining that government is providing a clear pathway for career advancement, encouraging graduates to pursue registered nursing, and later specialise in fields.
“So, there are lots of new things that will be happening and if you want to move from being a nursing assistant to being something else in the healthcare field, we want you to stay in health. We have more than 20 other different areas that you can work with us or you can work in these new fields. So, for example, this Health Sciences Training Division in the ministry, they have more than 20 different training programs, including training people to become medics, including training people to become pharmacy assistants and then from a pharmacy assistant, you can move to be a pharmacist and so forth. They have lots of programs. And we are also adding new areas because we want people to be trained in sonography, for example,” he explained.
To support the extension of the Hybrid Nursing Assistant Training Programme, the Ministry of Health has also rolled out simulation centres—now totalling 15 nationwide—to give students hands-on experience following their online training.
Meanwhile, to further support health education, two new health science schools are being constructed in Soesdyke and New Amsterdam, while dozens of telemedicine sites are operating in hinterland communities to enable remote training.
The hybrid format, which blends online and in-person training, was especially impactful in interior regions, giving opportunities to residents who previously lacked access to traditional training facilities.