US$13M simulator paves way for world-class oil & gas training in Guyana

The US$13 million ($2.6 billion) world-class Guyana Technical Training College Inc (GTTCI) Facility Simulator (FacTor) at Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice, will be a technologically advanced, multi-disciplinary campus, the first of its kind in Region Six.

This was according to President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali while delivering the keynote address at the commissioning ceremony on Friday.

“It will be the first multi-discipline campus that is built to cater for the needs of our future economy and the needs of the future of this region,” he said.

The facility is the first phase to be completed as part of the wider Guyana Technical Training College Inc, a partnership between the Government of Guyana and the Stabroek Block coventurers – ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), Hess Corporation and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).

It is strategically located near the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuCo) Estate in Port Mourant and is designed to train individuals for the oil and gas industry, equipping them with the relevant competencies and skills to execute their roles offshore.

Phase Two will see the construction of a campus that can house 150 students, and administrative offices equipped with all the amenities.

Guyana is one of 10 countries with a facility of this magnitude.

President Ali noted that he is pleased to be associated with this notable development, emphasising that the facility is in line with the government’s vision of creating a world-class education system that caters to the needs of the local economy and the region.

“This is not only about oil and gas…We want to create world-class facilities that will not only train and equip our human resources with the skill set, but give them world-class certification that they will get anywhere else in the world. That is critical…When these young men and women leave this facility they can be hired anywhere in the world,” the president affirmed.

In pursuit of its broader mission to address the demands of Guyana’s economy and the wider region, the training college will extend its offerings to encompass training programmes for the tourism and hospitality sectors, along with manufacturing, construction, and other technical service-based industries.

To this end, preparations are underway for the establishment of a world-class hospitality training facility within the compound. The official sod-turning ceremony to mark the commencement of construction for this facility is slated to take place next Friday.

“We are making these investments. That tells you about our philosophy in which our government believes in the people, believes in empowering people, believes in building capacity, believes in training, believes that transformation must be linked to human resource development,” the head of state underscored.

The FacTor training site consists of classrooms, workshops and the FacTor module. It is a fully functional plant that mirrors the operations of the real offshore platform, designed to accommodate at any one time, a cohort of 24 trainees, across four disciplines – mechanical, instrumentation, electrical, and production.

The facility is also designed to recognise industrial standards used in the oil, gas, and energy industry worldwide.

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh; Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal; Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai; General Manager, SBM Offshore, Guyana, Martin Cheong and ExxonMobil’s General Manager and Lead Country Manager, Alistair Routledge was also in attendance.