MatPal, TOTALTEC introduce Maritime Training Institute

Oil and gas sector

…to build local content

MatPal and TOTALTEC Oilfield Services Guyana Incorporated have collaborated to introduce a new Maritime Safety Training Institute (MSTI), which will provide safety training courses in the oil sector aimed at building Guyana’s local content.
The collaboration has been in the offing for some time and will see several courses being offered in addition to the organisations’ independent courses.
At a launching ceremony on Wednesday, TOTALTEC Senior Vice President Mike Henzell explained that after training, Guyanese would be certified to work

worldwide, since the courses were internationally accredited.
“We are investing in Guyana and its future by employing qualified instructors, equipment and new physical facilities to deliver all facets of this highly-specialised training. Our investment in training and development of Guyanese young men and women is unparalleled and show our strong commitment to investing in people now for the future, which is key to building a vibrant workforce that participates in our industry,” Henzell said.
He indicated that TOTALTEC governed the International Petroleum and Maritime Academy (IPMA), which offers full immersion safety and operational training programmes in the oil sector, including “practical training on industry-specific equipment and machinery”. On the other hand, MatPal provides training courses which are certified by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
TOTALTEC offers 63 courses while over 40 are offered by MatPal in safety-related training. Henzell noted that the decision to launch a new institute was also aimed at assisting international oil companies during their exploration.
“The Maritime Safety Training Institute will accelerate the building of competence, local capacity, and Guyanese capabilities to serve and respond to the oil and gas maritime industry.”
Meanwhile, Coleen Abrams of MatPal Marine Institute reiterated the importance of local content in the emerging oil and gas sector, adding that the Institute provides Guyanese with the opportunity to acquire employment since they will be suitably skilled.
“Through this strategic collaboration, we are committed to addressing the issue of local content through training as well as adopting and enforcing the standards that are nationally and internationally accepted, so as to set and keep the bar high as it relates to knowledge and skill transfer,” Abrams said.
Presently, there are campuses at Houston on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) and at the MatPal Institute on Woolford Avenue. Courses are expected to commence by the first quarter of 2019, and registration is open for interested stakeholders.