There has been growing demand for key technical and vocational skills in Guyana, primarily attributed to the nascent oil and gas industry, but from 2017 to 2019, no new training programmes were developed to satisfy the demand.
Additionally, a performance audit conducted by Guyana’s Audit Office found that the local Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training failed to inspect training institutions during the period.
As such, training Guyana’s human resources to meet local labour demands was hindered.
The performance audit was tabled in the National Assembly on Monday.
Based on that audit, the Council did not conduct a needs assessment for the period January 1, 2017 to June 30, 2019. Consequently, the Council was unable to identify the areas where training was required.
“This would have affected the Council in carrying out its mandate of informing the Minister of Education of training needed for Guyana’s development.
“Also, the benefits that would have been received from having persons trained in the required fields for Guyana’s sustainability of trained personnel with required skills,” the audit noted.
The Council, which responded to some of the concerns raised, said that it does not have the capacity to conduct the needs assessment.
The audit also found that training needs were not analysed nor were stakeholders’ training programmes developed. The Council did not establish any of the five training programmes- specific to the oil and gas and mining sectors- requested by stakeholders.
What is concerning too, is that the Council kept a register of training institutions but did not ensure that all institutions completed their registration. Inspectors did not inspect and monitor a majority of the training institutions with….
Because of these concerns and more, the audit concluded, “… the Council did not meet stakeholders’ needs in establishing and developing new training programmes requested and did not inspect and monitor all training institutions and evaluate the delivery of training programmes.”
It is hard to identify the requirements and skill-sets for this industry when the people tasked in doing so have no knowledge to do so. Guyana needs to look further afield for people who possess the experience and ability to formulate the plan to effectively start such a venture. There are Guyanese who possess such knowledge and experience that can help in the training and development of local workers to be capable of doing the jobs now being created. All Guyana has to do is invite those of us to do so. This offer is on the table.