More footballers to be trained via MACORP-GFF collab

The Machinery Corporation of Guyana (MACORP) and the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will continue their quest to provide crucial skills’ training to football players following the signing of another Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two entities.
The first such collaboration occurred in April 2021, when footballers were trained in two courses: for Excavator Operators and for Technicians for the Caribbean. Now the number of skills-trained footballers would increase to 21 with the signing of another MoU on Friday afternoon.
In disclosing that the collaboration is worth approximately Gy$2.5M, MACORP CEO Guillermo Escarraga shared why the company has such a vested interest in the personal development of the nation’s football players.

“We want to see more talented players, (who) perhaps may not have the opportunity to develop their talents because they do not have the financial support, and they have to choose between representing the national team or having resources to support their families; and it’s a very difficult decision,” Escarraga explained.
Further, he said, “We want to make sure we make our contribution; because, through contributions like this, we are sure that more youngsters will choose to participate in sport, knowing that they have opportunities outside the sports world – not only in football, but in many other disciplines.”
Still on the topic of life after football, GFF President Wayne Forde shared the plight of ball players in the country as he emphasized on the importance of this MoU.
Forde shared, “Our experience here in Guyana – and if I may say across the Caribbean region – is one where often times we find our players are underprepared for the life after football. And while at the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) our core responsibility is the development of football, beyond that, we are an organization that is developing people.
“And it’s for this reason that we are so happy, so delighted, so grateful, that MACORP has seen it fit to bring their years of expertise towards training and developing our players,” a grateful Forde added.
Further, Saskia Eastman, CEO (ag) of the Board of Industrial Training at the Ministry of Labour, touched on the importance of skills’ acquisition.
“What we do, we try to encourage persons that, even though you’re academic, have a skill. Skill is wealth,” Eastman highlighted.
“Footballers, they can play a sport, but they can’t do a skill. We now acknowledge why we have to be present here: because it’s important, it’s that you have a life after… The preparation is great, the task ahead of you is challenging, but it will be rewarding,” she explained.
Footballers benefitting from the training programme are expected to commence the three-week programme this September. (Jemima Holmes)