Georgetown: A group of young Guyanese who have just returned from training abroad are poised to make a positive contribution to an industry that they believe can transform their country’s development.
Before heading offshore for on-the-job training on the Liza Destiny, a few from among the 24 operations and maintenance (O&M) technicians who recently completed training at Canada’s Cape Brenton University shared their experiences and optimism for Guyana’s future.
“I’m so excited and cannot wait to actually be doing practical work and getting my hands dirty,” said Royston Khalil, an electrical technician who has been counting down the days to go offshore. Royston, 28, hails from the Number 4 Village in West Coast Berbice and studied electrical installation at the GuySuCo Training Centre where he was an apprentice for four years before his training in Canada. “The knowledge and skills that I have gained and will continue to gain will contribute to a long-term career in the oil and gas sector, which I believe will help to create a bright future for myself and family,” he said.
Beyond personal gain, these young, bright and skilled technicians are also passionate about the benefits that could be derived for Guyana. “There is lot of negativity out there but we all have a unique opportunity to be part of an industry with the potential to develop Guyana even more,” Khalil added.
Similarly, Alex Latchman, a mechanical technician who was also a former apprentice at the GuySuCo Training Centre, is upbeat about the prospects, for which he believes his training has positioned him well. “These newly garnered skills are necessary for me to perform my roles and responsibilities effectively and efficiently onboard the Liza Destiny which is ultimately responsible for producing Guyana’s oil,” he said.
The group faced the usual challenges associated with studying in a foreign land, far away from loved ones. The one challenge worthy of mention for most of them was the climate in the North. But Shameer Ally, who specializes in instrumentation, did not let the cold stop him. “The main challenge was actually the weather and I said to myself that I went there for a reason, I had my goals so I had to adapt,” he shared. Ally, who admits to becoming a lot more safety conscious even in his personal life, is confident that that his training will ensure optimum performance “which will in turn help the company attain its objectives for the benefit of Guyana.”
The oil and gas industry, like many other technically inclined sectors, have often been dominated by men but this reality is not preventing a female technician from doing her best. And she also demands the very best from her colleagues and to the company producing oil in Guyana.
Faudia Ramjohn is one of two women from this first group of trainees. A former Queens College student, she has long had an affinity for science and technology, evident by the 12-subject CXC passes she achieved, including physics, chemistry and building technology.
She can easily be described as confident and articulate, but perhaps her most impressive quality is her courage of conviction. “Developing a country’s resource is one thing, but developing my country’s resource adds entirely new feelings— those of pride, responsibility, an obsession to get it right and to do it as safely as possible,” the 22-year-old stressed. “I will hold myself, my colleagues and the company I work for accountable and I will ensure that our sector adds value to this country.”
The O&M technicians are being deployed to the FPSO Liza Destiny where they will work directly for Destiny operator SBM Offshore, in support of ExxonMobil and our partners, to produce Guyana’s oil and gas.
The trainees were introduced to basic systems training in four disciplines: electrical, mechanical, instrumentation, and operations. This was followed by hands-on work in a classroom setting and now they will put their training to work on the FPSO where they will be mentored by experienced experts from SBM Offshore and other business partners.
Khalil shared that it was intense being in a classroom from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday packed with a lot of studying, assignments, tests and evaluations, plus significant hands-on training. “Whatever practical training we received was of high standard and class using equipment I have never seen in technical institutions here in Guyana.”
The development model for operations and maintenance employees is designed for trainees to advance from trainee technician to fully qualified technician over a period of time with certification and validation check points along the way. They will replace experienced international workers over the coming years.
More than 2,000 Guyanese are working on ExxonMobil activities in Guyana, which represents 55% of the total workforce.
Suggested pull quote: “Developing a country’s resource is one thing, but developing my own country’s resource adds entirely new feelings – those of pride, responsibility, an obsession to get it right and to do it as safely as possible. I will hold myself, my colleagues and the company I work for accountable and I will ensure that our sector adds value to this country” Faudia Ramjohn
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