Georgetown: The Ministry of Communities through the Sanitation Management Unit recently engaged students of the Faculty of Earth, Environment and Sciences (FEES) highlighting the existing and available career opportunities in Solid Waste Management particularly with the emergence of the oil and gas sector. Pilot Coordinator of the Guyana Waste Water Revolving Fund (GWRF), Darren Shako, who conducted the session, informed the students that there are choices in the professional, technical and operational aspects of sanitation management that would require various skills set including innovation, consultancy, academia and engineering.
He listed examples of treatment plant designs both in solid waste and wastewater, contracting landfill design, waste characterisation and wastewater management consultancies.
Shako mentioned too that Guyana will soon require hazardous waste management operatives to satisfy the demands of the imminent oil and gas sector.
He agreed that most corporations and companies require persons with experience and skills set which can pose a challenge to students and university graduates, looking to jump-start careers in the sanitation field.
The coordinator outlined too that waste management jobs in Guyana are non-traditional and the sector is often regarded as insignificant or non-productive.
Shako also bemoaned the lack of relevant or sufficient research that meets the existing needs of the sector and its changing dynamics.
Despite these challenges, there are many opportunities for careers in the sector including the need for solid waste management specialists, environmental consultants, designers, supervisors, facilitators, landfill specialists, solid waste profilers, wastewater specialists, water and sanitation and hazardous waste management specialists.
According to Shako, waste is not garbage but a multi-million dollar business just waiting for good management.
He remarked that the field has current demands including innovative solutions to solve existing waste management problems and critical research to inform key policy decisions since few decisions are based on empirical data.
“There is a high demand for specialist skills in the waste management sector such as composting, waste recovery and reuse, recycling, biological treatment, wastewater treatment plant design and management. Unfortunately there are not enough investment in the sector to move in the direction that is needed in Guyana,” Shako stated.
He noted that the main role of the GWRF is to provide policy direction to the sector on waste management in Guyana, facilitate projects in waste management and provide support to local government efforts in waste management in communities.
Shako detailed that the Ministry of Communities has funding available to support three proposals at a cost of GY$900,000 and is willing to provide a limited amount of funding to support academic research and development.
The Ministry has also partnered with local entities to advance the objectives of waste management in Guyana.
The university students were keen on understanding the opportunities available at the Ministry and there was a seemingly high interest in waste management research.
It was also revealed that a number of final year projects are currently focused on some form of waste management.
Shako remarked that there is a noticeable disconnect between the University and the Ministry as much of the work completed by students of the University is not filtered down.
The students expressed eagerness to get on board with the research opportunities offered by the Ministry, and will soon submit proposals.
Several students also requested support in identifying applicable waste management projects that would assist in improving the current scope of waste management in Guyana.
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