Mining school to open doors in January

The Guyana Mining School and Training Centre is expected to start rolling out its programmes in early January in an effort to improve the quality of skilled workers in the mining sector, according to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud.
He said that over the past several months, the ministry and stakeholders have been conceptualising the idea of the mining school, which has been a work in progress.
Persaud noted that the institution is still in its developmental stage.
“We had hoped that by the end of the year, we would have been able to have at least several programmes launched, but I think in the interest of doing things properly, in the interest of getting the right type of feedback from all stakeholders, we take our time and ensure that we develop all the right programmes and ensuring that when we launch the programmes that is necessary to address the opportunities and challenges within the extractive industry,” Persaud stated.
He said it is his hope to tap into as much skills locally and overseas. The minister indicated that the energy minister of Trinidad had pledged his support for the mining school and other mining and energy driven initiatives.
Persaud added that the ministry has also been in direct discussions with universities in China and other countries to ensure that the programmes being developed are top notch.
He said Guyana had missed many opportunities to become an economically viable country, and urged stakeholders to seize opportunities now available.
The need for a training centre and mining school alluded to the fact of the growing number of persons involved in mining practices. As a result, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, along with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), registered a school named the Guyana Mining School and Training Centre Incorporated. The school is fully-owned by the GGMC and it is in the developmental process.
The entities are working with two Canadian institutions: The College of the North Atlantic and the Marine Institute of Memorial University, to develop a curriculum that is adaptable to the institute’s objectives.
Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana David Devine said that he is pleased to be partnering with the ministry to realise the initiative.
“The high commission of Canada is pleased to partner with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment on a mining school initiative and the Education of Advanced Training CIDA programme, which is focused on supporting the development of supplies driven technical and vocational education training for the development of Guyana’s mining sector,” he said.
Devine explained that through skills training and development, Guyanese interested in the extractive sector will be better positioned to benefit from opportunities that will be created as the sector realises its potentials.