The Guyana Utility Scale Solar Photovoltaic (GUYSOL) Programme is not only cutting emissions and expanding clean power, it is also opening up new jobs and training opportunities for youth, women and persons with disabilities across the country.
Implemented by Guyana Power and Light Inc. with financing from the Guyana–Norway partnership through the Inter-American Development Bank, the initiative pairs the construction of eight utility‑scale solar farms with targeted apprenticeship schemes that help more Guyanese participate in the fast‑growing renewable energy sector.
For Gabriel Gilkes, joining the GuySol Energy Apprentice Programme Batch Two has been more than a job opportunity; it has been a chance to prove his ability and gain valuable experience in Guyana’s growing renewable energy sector.
Gilkes said the initiative created an environment where he could work, learn and contribute without the barriers that often limit access to employment.
“I’m just so happy that I’ve been given that chance to show what I’m all about,” Gilkes said.
Now in his seventh month as a communication apprentice, Gilkes explained that the programme has allowed him to build skills in areas such as data management and spreadsheets, while also travelling across Guyana to project sites in Regions Five, Six and 10.
Rajnie Persaud, a procurement and finance specialist, shared how her apprenticeship helped her learn procurement principles and best practices.
“I assist the procurement and finance specialist with reviewing documents…doing cash registers and looking for discrepancies that might be there, so it can be corrected,” Persaud explained.
Persaud further expressed her gratitude for the opportunity and noted that it is a full-circle moment. She encouraged others to take advantage of programmes like these.
Social Management Specialist attached to GPL’s Programme Execution Unit, Chitra Singh Samaroo, said the initiative was intentionally designed to ensure broader inclusion in technical fields traditionally dominated by men.
“We want males as well as females to be a part of our programme… and we also want to include persons living with disabilities, so that they too can earn and learn with this programme,” she explained.
Under GUYSOL, eight solar farms are being developed across Regions Two, Five, Six and 10. Five have already been completed and are operational, while three more are under construction in Linden.
The programme also includes a Women in Solar Apprenticeship Programme, which has already trained dozens of women in solar installation and linked them to employment opportunities at project sites.
As Guyana advances its low-carbon development agenda, the initiative is demonstrating how infrastructure investment can be paired with social empowerment, ensuring more citizens benefit from the country’s transformation.