-650 persons already registered for first phase
To address the growing need for skilled welders in the oil and gas sector, the government is ramping up training efforts through a new programme by the School of the Nations in collaboration with the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), targeting 3,000 Guyanese.
President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali made this disclosure as he addressed those gathered for the programme launch at School of the Nations on Saturday.
Already, some 650 persons are registered for the one-month programme, which exposes participants to rigorous theoretical and practical instruction in the welding field.
At the end of the training, graduates will be conferred with a City and Guilds Certificate, which is widely accepted around the world.
The registrants span the various regions across the country, with the exception of region one. The president said that following this initial phase, the government plans to introduce the programme in each of the ten administrative regions to expand its reach.
“We are committed to training at least 3,000 Guyanese across our country in this programme alone. We are committed to ensuring that you get trained, you get the certification, and you are industry-ready,” he told the participants.
President Ali commended the registrants for taking a bold step towards upskilling and positioning themselves at the helm of Guyana’s economic transformation. He assured them that they will have the backing of the government throughout their journey.
“We want to see you succeed, grow, and excel. We want to see you be the best you can be. We are going to make all the investments to ensure that you are the best you can be. We are going to make the sacrifices to ensure that you are going to be the best you can be,” he underscored.
The president added that the aim is to ensure that at the end of the programme, each participant is gainfully employed.
“This is what the One Guyana concept is about, bringing opportunities for one another, lifting each other together, and opening up doors for each other,” the head of state emphasised.
Several oil and gas companies operating in Guyana will also observe the training sessions to engage with participants and explore employment opportunities.