Over 400 Guyanese secured jobs through El Dorado Offshore in oil & gas sector

In 2015, Guyanese across the world celebrated the country’s first oil discovery. This was followed by a plethora of discoveries, which continue to date.
For some, this meant more remarkable development, a better way of living, and more opportunities for jobs in Guyana. El Dorado Offshore (EDO), a manpower and recruitment company, was perfectly positioned to make the dreams of many ambitious Guyanese come true.

With just five persons, EDO, a Ramps Logistics (Guyana) Inc subsidiary, opened its first office in 2017 in Brickdam, Georgetown.
Today, with more than 400 Guyanese employed, and locations in Suriname, Colombia, and Trinidad, EDO has made its name as one of the biggest recruitment companies in the Caribbean’s energy sector, EDO noted in a press statement on Friday.
It said that Guyanese are dedicated and committed workers eager to develop themselves and the country they love. One of EDO’s challenges, the company highlighted, was finding persons to fill critical offshore positions in the energy sector.
However, cognisant of its role to ensure Guyanese benefit from the jobs in this sector, EDO said it invested in ensuring persons achieve the requisite certification for these roles.

“Our slogan at El Dorado Offshore is Everyone Deserves Opportunities. As a Guyanese company servicing Guyana’s oil and gas sector, we believe Guyanese should be the first to benefit from these opportunities. We felt that it is important that we go an extra mile to provide the training,” said Head of EDO Guyana, Sherry Ferrell.
Today, Guyanese hold positions such as Health and Safety Officers, General Managers, Senior Engineers, Roustabouts, Floorman, and Head Cooks, among many other top positions on and offshore, the company disclosed, adding that it also supplies its workers with all the gear and equipment to complete the job.

“Many of the certificates required for offshore positions are too expensive for a person wanting to change careers. In an effort to facilitate this, EDO has collaborated with some of its clients to provide training for young skilled Guyanese.”
These applicants, it said, have obtained certificates in HUET/TBOSIET with Compressed Air Emergency Breathing Systems (CA EBS) in Trinidad, Houston, USA and Brazil. These are just a few of the training EDO has made available for its employees, EDO said.
While it is essential to ensure persons are equipped for these positions, EDO said that Guyanese must have an equal opportunity to take up these roles. With that in mind, the company pointed out that it held several job camps in five regions across Guyana.
These were held in Hopetown, Anna Regina, Kamarang, Port Mourant, and Mabaruma, and quite a few attendees gained employment opportunities through these initiatives. There were one-on-one discussions, resume writing training and on-the-spot interviews provided at these job camps.

“We found that the resumes emailed to us lacked several key elements. So, we felt that it was necessary to share this knowledge to ensure that persons put their best selves forward and do not lose out on important opportunities,” Ferrell explained.
At the end of this successful initiative, EDO said it was able to add over 400 skilled jobseekers to its database, some of whom have already been employed with several of their clients. In addition, the company noted that it has been sure to give back to several communities through its Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives.
The company recently sponsored the Inter-District Kayaking Competition in Linden, and hosted a capacity-building Supplier Workshop for local entrepreneurs.
Over the years, EDO shared that it has proudly represented Guyana at several conferences around the world. The most recent was the Suriname Energy, Oil and Gas Summit, where the public got an opportunity to interact with the Human Resources Administrators.
“Persons were eager to learn how to transition into the energy sector and the requirements for the more than 60 vacant positions. EDO continues to grow from strength to strength. The company has several initiatives planned for Guyana in 2023 through its CSR efforts, workshops and job camps to ensure Guyanese are well positioned to benefit from their oil resource,” the press statement said.
The team will be heading back into the hinterland regions to provide opportunities for persons to gain meaningful jobs in the energy sector.
EDO promised to continue to work with its employees to build their capacity and ensure they are equipped to take up more complex roles.