<p>Today, the University of Guyana began consultations on identifying and meeting demands for engineering and operations management skills in the oil and gas industry.</p>

<p>The one-day symposium was held at the Marriott Hotel, Georgetown. Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, in commending the university for its resourcefulness, noted that this stakeholder engagement advances the local content narrative.</p>

<p>“I see this initiative by the University of Guyana as another pillar that builds on the firm foundation we wish to create by helping us to continue our conversation of local content generally and the demands for engineering and operations management skills within the emerging sector specifically,” Minister Trotman said.</p>

<p>Industry representatives from ExxonMobil and Repsol along with academics from the University of the West Indies (UWI) and University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) gave their perspectives on the limitations and opportunities for human resources in the industry for UG’s consideration. The private sector, university faculties, and students were also part of the discussions.</p>

<p>The symposium seeks to provide initial orientation for training institutions towards the operation management of the oil and gas companies operating in Guyana.</p>

<p>However, Minister Trotman cautioned that focus must also be placed on the supporting sectors since there will not be large numbers of direct employment in the industry. “As you shift, think also of enhancing skills that are transferable to other sectors, example, fabrication which can be utilised in mining and shipbuilding, IT and telecommunications,” he said.</p>

<p>UG is also seeking to understand and align itself with government’s priorities, while also identifying and filling gaps in engineering skills for the industry.</p>

<p>This stakeholder engagement comes on the heels of a recent $100 million grant from the Ministry of Natural Resources to help the University build capacities in oil and gas.</p>

<p>Article adapted from:&nbsp;<u><a href="http://gina.gov.gy/ug-consults-industry-other-stakeholders-on-building-capacity-for-oil-industry/">http://gina.gov.gy/ug-consults-industry-other-stakeholders-on-building-capacity-for-oil-industry/</a></u></p>
