By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — The 5th Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo officially drew to a close on Friday, February 20, 2026, with a vibrant and forward-looking Youth Forum. Shifting the focus from high-level corporate deals to human capital, the final day was dedicated to bridging the gap between current industry leaders and the students who will eventually manage Guyana’s vast natural resources.
The forum served as a high-energy “Career Guidance” session, designed to prepare the next generation for the technical and leadership demands of the world’s fastest-growing economy.
Passion Over Profit: Minister Bharrat’s Charge to Students
Minister of Natural Resources, Hon. Vickram Bharrat, took center stage to deliver a candid and motivational address to an audience packed with students from across the country.
- The Ambition Mandate: The Minister challenged the youth to take an active interest in the sector’s management, stating that in a landscape as rapidly evolving as Guyana’s, “ambition is a necessity.”
- Choosing a Path: He urged students to align their career choices with their personal passions rather than immediate financial gain. “Do not let money be the most motivating factor… It must be something you want and that you love,” Bharrat advised.
- Resilience in Business: Beyond technical skills, the Minister emphasized the “mindset” required for success, encouraging students to build the resilience needed to navigate the challenges of the global energy market.
Work-Ready Skills: SSYDR’s Strategic Input
The forum also featured Specialists in Sustained Youth Development (SSYDR), an organization focused on the “soft skills” and legal literacy required for the modern workforce.
- The Curriculum: Executive Director Mrs. Magda Griffith-France outlined a “work-ready” curriculum that goes beyond textbooks.
- Rights and Responsibilities: A key component of their training involves helping young people understand the rights of both employees and employers, ensuring they enter the industry with a professional and protected foundation.
- Life Skills: The organization’s objective is to equip youth not just for a specific job, but for the broader complexities of life and career growth in a competitive environment.
Student Engagement and Interest
The interaction was far from one-sided. Students from various secondary and tertiary institutions demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of the sector, asking pointed questions about:
- Local Content: How they can specifically benefit from the jobs being created by international firms.
- Sustainability: The balance between oil extraction and Guyana’s commitment to the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030.
- Educational Pathways: The specific certifications required for offshore vs. onshore roles.
The Expo’s Final Legacy
As the curtain falls on the 2026 Energy Conference, the success of the Youth Forum underscores a critical theme of the event: Sustainability. By ending the week with the nation’s youth, organizers signaled that the infrastructure and energy projects discussed over the past four days are intended to be a long-term inheritance for the next generation of Guyanese.
