The Board of Industrial Training (BIT) today, Monday, August 11, 2025, launched its third Heavy-Duty Equipment Operator (HDEO) training programme for the year. A total of 112 participants, 20 females and 92 males, will benefit from this 16-week initiative, which will be conducted at the Guyana Industrial Training Centre (GITC).
The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Labour, Hon. Joseph Hamilton; Principal of GITC, Mr. Dexter Cornette; Senior Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Officer, Ms. Nateica Garraway; Technical Officers, Ms. Deborah McBeth, Mr. Jason Clarke, Mr. Rohan Bishop; Instructors, Ms. Grace Grant-Andries and Mr. Alvin Jack; along with other key officials.
In his feature address, Minister Hamilton highlighted the remarkable progress made in skills training over the past five years. He noted that more than 16,000 individuals have successfully completed BIT programmes, a sharp increase compared to the approximately 6,500 trained under the previous administration. โThese results are not just statistics,โ he emphasized, โbut real stories of individuals who are now better prepared to support themselves and their families.โ He added that the training is the start of a rewarding journey and urged trainees to take full advantage of the opportunities ahead.
Encouraging participants to make the most of every learning opportunity, the Principal of the Guyana Industrial Training Centre urged them to focus on mastering both the technical and safety aspects of heavy-duty equipment operation. He stressed, โI always tell every batch, when it comes to safety, go beyond the regulations. This field can be dangerous, and several lives have been lost because safety was not prioritized. Never compromise your safety for a few extra dollars.โ
The Government of Guyana invested an estimated GYD 22,476,200 between 2021 and 2025 to facilitate Heavy-Duty Equipment Operator (HDEO) training in Region Four. Through partnerships with the Guyana Industrial Training Centre (GITC) and the Government Technical Institute/CPFF, 389 individuals, 327 males and 62 females, received comprehensive skills development in heavy-duty equipment operations. All participants successfully graduated from the programmes.
