The University of Guyana’s (UG’s) Institute for Energy Diplomacy has been in existence since 2019 and is currently preparing to commence specialist training of locals to take up positions in Guyana’s energy and associated oil and gas industries.
The first batch of 20 persons is to begin training on March 1, 2021, with the institute hoping to certify 1,000 persons in various disciplines this year. During a national local content policy consultation earlier this week, UG’s Vice-Chancellor, Dr Paloma Mohamed announced the formation of the institute.
“For instance, if you are a lawyer or an accountant and you are looking for specialist training then that institute does that,” she said briefly.
When contacted by the News Room, Dr Mohamed explained that after receiving permission to set up the institute in 2019, UG quickly began the administrative process so they can teach.
But this was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Despite this setback, time was not wasted; there was a restructuring of the programmes to online mode.
“These highly specialised executive courses are taught in small groups of no more than 20 at a time. So, we are just beginning to deliver the first cohort on March 1. The aim is to up-certify 1,000 this year in various disciplines,” she added.
The institute is said to have three strategic aims among which is to provide wide-ranging specialised professional training to upskill, existing professionals in the private and public sector in order to quickly fill the gaps in Guyana’s energy sector.
The emphasis of the Institute of Energy Diplomacy is not on oil and gas but on energy and energy sustainability, focusing on the whole spectrum of sustainable energy possibilities of which Petro carbons (oil and gas) are part of the mix but not the only one.
On the petroleum academic side, UG offers two specialised programmes and several short, specialised courses. There is an associate in petroleum engineering and a master’s in petroleum engineering.
These programmes began in the 2018-2019 academic year and are offered through the Faculty of Engineering and Technology and partner institutions. The Institute for Energy Diplomacy only offers professional seminars and short programmes.
Courses are delivered by a mix of local and internationally accredited and recognised partners. At the moment, courses are offered only to targeted executive enrollment by invitation but will be opened for general enrollment by June 2021.
