30 Johanna Cecilia, Charity residents being upskilled through BIT

─ benefitting from Welding and Fabrication, Electrical Installation training

Another batch of Region Two residents are benefitting from the Welding and Fabrication and Electrical Installation skills training programmes being offered through the Ministry of Labour’s Board of Industrial Training (BIT) in collaboration with the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs).

During a recent visit to the region, Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton applauded the participants for taking advantage of the programmes.

Speaking directly to the welders, the labour minister emphasised the importance of welding expertise to address the labour shortage in this field.

“Some people ask ‘what oil and gas has to do with me? How do I benefit? Well, I can tell you right now that we are short of 2,000 welders in Guyana and you cannot have oil and gas production unless you discuss welders.”

The potential entrepreneurs were urged to be focused, patient and disciplined in their craft.

Minister Hamilton pointed out that, “as you make money, you should put it back into your business. They call that cheap money. If you want the business to grow, you have two choices- take your money and re-invest or you can go to the bank to borrow money at all kinds of interest rates. Those are things you have to think about to be successful.”

The labour minister outlined how these skills improve quality of life and increase economic worth.

“We want the skillset to be in the region. So, when people come to develop things here, they have skills. Nobody has to come and say they have to import because they do not have,” he noted.

Overall, 109 residents of Region Two are currently undergoing several technical and vocational skills training programmes.

In 2022, over 500 persons in the region were certified in various skills through BIT.