Bridging Guyana’s Skills Gap
A Recap of the Webinar with Moriah Hamilton
In a recent webinar featuring Moriah Hamilton, see the full program below, a distinguished Guyanese scholar and Schwarzman Scholar, the discussion centered on Guyana’s pressing skills shortage and the transformative potential of targeted support for international students. The conversation underscored the critical need for strategic investments in education and mentorship to harness the nation’s economic growth, particularly in the context of its unprecedented oil-driven economic expansion.
Guyana has experienced remarkable economic growth in recent years, becoming the world’s fastest-growing economy. The country achieved its fifth consecutive year of double-digit growth in 2024, with the economy expanding by 43.6% as oil output and exports showed solid increases. This follows an even more impressive 63% growth in 2022, establishing Guyana as a significant player in the global oil market. The economic transformation began in 2015 when ExxonMobil discovered the massive Liza-1 oil field off Guyana’s coast. Since then, oil production has catapulted the country’s growth to an average of more than 40% annually since 2020. Current production from existing floating production platforms is around 600,000 barrels per day, with projections to reach over 1 million barrels per day by 2026 as additional platforms come online.
However, this extraordinary growth presents significant challenges. Recent estimates by public officials suggest a significant shortage of the required labor skills, with the deficit at approximately 100,000 persons. The Migration Policy Institute places this number even higher at around 160,000 additional workers needed to sustain growth. This skills shortage has multiple dimensions that threaten to undermine Guyana’s economic potential. Even if all unemployed, underemployed, and discouraged workers were mobilized, the domestic labor supply would only reach about 63,500 individuals—far short of the estimated 160,000 workers needed. Only about 3% of Guyanese possess a bachelor’s or master’s degree, yet 81% of in-demand jobs necessitate higher technical or university education. Skilled labor shortages have been identified in technical areas crucial to the oil industry, including welders, machinists, heavy equipment operators, and a range of specialized technical roles. Additionally, as Guyana’s economy grows increasingly digital, the country faces the additional challenge of increasing the supply of skilled workers with digital competencies essential for economic diversification beyond the oil sector.
The webinar highlighted a comprehensive scholarship and mentorship program for Guyanese international students as a strategic solution to the skills gap. The proposed initiative draws inspiration from successful models elsewhere, particularly Jamaica’s approach to diaspora engagement and educational support. Key components of the proposed solution include addressing the estimated $20,000 annual unmet financial need per student; creating sustainable funding mechanisms through partnerships between government, private sector, and diaspora communities; establishing need-based and merit-based scholarship categories; providing guidance to navigate academic, professional, and cultural landscapes; creating networks of support among Guyanese students abroad; facilitating internships and professional development opportunities; identifying priority fields based on current and projected skills gaps; creating pathways for knowledge transfer; and establishing systems to track outcomes and adjust program elements as needed.
The initiative aims to support approximately 350 Guyanese students in the U.S., creating a pipeline of skilled professionals ready to contribute to national development. By combining financial assistance with structured mentorship and community support, the program addresses not only the immediate barriers to education but also the long-term challenges of retention and meaningful employment upon graduation.
Moriah Hamilton’s journey exemplifies the challenges talented Guyanese students face and the transformative impact of comprehensive support. Having faced significant personal challenges, including periods of homelessness, Hamilton’s path to higher education initially seemed “virtually impossible”. Despite these obstacles, she excelled academically at Queen’s College and achieved first place on the Caribbean merit list for Green Engineering at CAPE examinations. Her hopes for tertiary education were renewed when she received a partial scholarship to attend Howard University in the United States. When her family could not cover the remaining costs, a community fundraising effort raised approximately US$45,000 from businesses, organizations, and individuals.
At Howard University, Hamilton pursued civil and environmental engineering, focusing on sustainable infrastructure. As president of Howard University’s Engineering Without Borders chapter and a UNICEF Climate Change youth ambassador, she led projects expanding equitable access to energy and infrastructure in underserved communities across the Global South. Recently, Hamilton was selected as a 2025-2026 Schwarzman Scholar, one of only 150 chosen from a record 5,000 candidates worldwide. This prestigious program will enable her to pursue a fully funded master’s degree in Global Affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. This accomplishment further positions her to contribute to Guyana’s development through expertise in engineering, sustainable infrastructure, and international cooperation. Hamilton’s statement on receiving the Schwarzman scholarship reflects her commitment to apply global knowledge to local challenges: “The knowledge and experience I will gain at Tsinghua University will better position me to implement and innovate infrastructure and systems for development in the Global South, particularly relating to renewable energy systems and sustainable infrastructure.”
The proposed program draws inspiration from Jamaica’s successful approach to diaspora engagement and scholarship initiatives, which integrate diaspora, private sector, and government efforts. Jamaica’s model offers valuable lessons for Guyana in several key areas. Jamaica has built its partnership with its diaspora into its foreign policy framework and development plan, creating a systematic approach that has become “a model for other developing countries.” The Jamaica Diaspora Engagement Model (JAM-DEM) platform supports Jamaicans overseas who are interested in investing in the country. Multiple Jamaican scholarship programs demonstrate the power of combined resources from the government, the private sector, diaspora organizations, and international partners. Organizations like the Jamaican Canadian Association have recently offered over CAD$500,000 in scholarships, supporting dozens of students annually. Jamaica has developed efficient systems for scholarship administration, application processes, and selection criteria that could be adapted to Guyana’s context. Beyond financial assistance, Jamaican programs often incorporate mentorship, professional networking, and cultural connections that strengthen students’ ties to their home country.
By adapting elements of the Jamaican model to Guyana’s specific circumstances, the proposed program can build on proven approaches while addressing the unique challenges and opportunities of Guyana’s rapidly evolving economy. As IMF projections indicate continued strong growth of approximately 20% per year during 2024-28, addressing the skills gap through comprehensive support for international students represents a high-return investment in Guyana’s future. By cultivating a workforce equipped with advanced technical skills, digital competencies, and global perspectives, Guyana can maximize the benefits of its resource wealth while building a more diverse, resilient economy.
The proposed scholarship and mentorship program, inspired by successful models like Jamaica’s and illustrated by Moriah Hamilton’s journey, offers a practical pathway to transform Guyana’s economic potential into inclusive prosperity. Through collaborative efforts between the government, the private sector, educational institutions, and the diaspora, Guyana can create a sustainable pipeline of skilled professionals ready to contribute to national development and ensure that the nation’s prosperity benefits all its citizens.
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