Hello fellow Guyanese citizens, in this video we want to give some basic information on what all Guyanese need to know about opportunities in oil and gas. We particularly want women, and hinterland and rural residents to take note how to access information on jobs, training, and education. Region 4 residents tend to have more access to information since oil and gas activities are now mostly based in Region 4.
All Guyanese must benefit from the resources of our country in an equitable manner. No region or group should be excluded. Globally and traditionally, employment in the Oil and Gas sector is male dominated, especially in the upstream, exploration stage involving drilling, engineering, and surveying of oil fields. Today, fewer women are engaged in the sector due in part to lack of awareness of potential opportunities.
Jobs in oil and gas are not only for men. There are many jobs that women can do and are doing now in the oil industry. While many Guyanese women may not have experience in the engineering, drilling and surveying areas, women still play an important role in Oil and Gas holding jobs such as female pilots, divers, and office administration. There is a broad range of other positions available in the midstream or production stage of oil and gas. Women have transferable skill sets and experience in current jobs in administration, finance, human resources, public relations, training/education, office jobs, support jobs, etc. Similar jobs in Oil and Gas with higher pay may be attractive to women. For the hi-tech jobs, more women need to pursue preparation and training in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).
In Guyana, the future for women in Oil and Gas may be bright, given that the 2019/2020 Annual Report of the University of Guyana revealed that of the 8,291 individuals who were enrolled at the Turkeyen Campus, just 36.7 per cent are males; 63.3% were females dominating in education and humanities, health sciences, natural sciences, social sciences, and earth and environmental sciences. Men dominated only in Agriculture/Forestry and Engineering/Technology.
There are many jobs that women, and our people in the hinterland regions of Guyana and in rural communities in Essequibo and Berbice can do, notwithstanding that most of the activities in oil – the shore bases, warehouses, headquarters of the oil companies and their subcontractors are concentrated in Region 4 – in Georgetown and the East Bank Demerara. A gas to shore pipeline is expected to be located in Wales, West Bank Demerara, and would directly impact the Region 3 and Region 4 areas.
The oil company – CGX Energy Inc.- is gearing up to do drilling and construct a deep-water harbor in the Berbice Region so this will directly affect jobs in Region 6 and the neighboring Region 5.
Since oil and gas are still new and everything related to oil and gas are now emerging quickly, how would all Guyanese, especially women, including those in the hinterland and rural areas – Region 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, and 10 also benefit from oil and gas? How can they know of what employment opportunities are available, how to apply to get a job, how to prepare for such jobs and what training is required, and what do these jobs pay.
Jobs are available mainly in the midstream production stage as “procurement opportunities” (where your business can secure contracts in the supply chain) and as “employment opportunities” (where you work as an employee of a company in the area of your qualification and experience). In the upstream exploration stage, there are many technical jobs in engineering and surveying on the offshore floating platforms, on board a drilling rig, or a seismic vessel. Jobs include petroleum engineer, energy engineer, geoscientist, engineering geologist, hydrographic surveyor, mining engineer, mudlogger, etc.
The 3 major oil companies – Exxon, Hess, and CNOOC – employ subsidiaries or subcontractors to supply various steel and construction hardware and materials, equipment, food and operational supplies, and a range of services from engineering and accounting to landscaping and household domestic workers.
If you want to have a job as a supplier, this is the process: When the oil companies and their subsidiaries need to procure materials, supplies and services, they advertise their needs in the newspapers or their company websites and invite other subcontractors to submit an “Expression of Interest (EOI),” or require completion of a “pre-qualification” questionnaire. If your company thinks it can provide those goods and services at the high standards expected, and want to participate in these procurement opportunities, you must submit your EOI within the expected period. If you fail to provide the required documentation, your company may not be considered for supply of those particular goods or services. The next step is all EOIs are screened and if you are selected in the short list, you will be invited to submit a “Request for Proposal” (RFP). If your RFP is selected, the company will inform you, and you provide the goods and services as a contracted job.
If you are interested in being just an employee in a company: Please see our Video No. 5 for information on how to find jobs and training opportunities for oil jobs. See our “OGGN Directory of Major Companies Operating in Oil and Gas in Guyana,” to see the types of jobs for which they hired in the past, and check each company’s website for current vacancies.
Please see Videos No. 5 and No. 9 at our website for additional information on jobs.
Some points to note:
- Lack of oil experience is not necessarily a disqualifier because some companies will accept you into an “entry level position” and may give you on-the-job training.
- Some local companies have reached out to Exxon and have utilized available training opportunities to increase their capacity and align their operations to provide services to the Oil and Gas industry, thus expanding their business and income.
Companies that seem to have women-friendly policies include:
- El Dorado Offshore (EDO) has 18 female employees–mainly in leadership and administrative positions working onshore. They have cooks, stewards, persons doing rig logistics on the rigs out in the ocean so it’s not just office staff.
- Exxon collaborates with STEM Guyana and Volunteer Youth Corps, to encourage girls to participate and excel in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math programs, pursue careers in ICT and web development.
- Exxon offers help through the Center for Local Business Support for Women (CLBD).
- Guyana Deep Water Operations Inc. gives preference to “Guyanese Woman-owned, registered in Guyana” for commercial aspects of the supply chain.
- MatPal Marine Institute is a woman owned business.