Human resources for an evolving energy sector

Trinidad and Tobago

Maria Chong Ton, CEO of Eve Anderson Recruitment Agency, and Christina Bahadoor-Hosein, operations manager, talk to The Energy Year about the company’s work on building the regional workforce and the challenges it encounters. Eve Anderson provides workforce, training and consultation services to various industrial sectors, including hydrocarbons.

How has Eve Anderson Recruitment focused on building the workforce in the region?
Maria CHONG TON: Trinidad still accounts for approximately 90% of our clientele. Additionally, over the last year we have focused on building our services in Guyana. We are not only building a workforce for the energy industry, but supporting the development of the workforce in other sectors such as manufacturing, distribution, retail and shipping.
One of the challenges we are facing in Guyana is that even though we have the local content certificate, there is a very high turnover of staff in that market and the compensation ranges are dynamic.

Compared to Guyana and its local content restrictions, what receptiveness have you seen in Suriname towards Trinidadian labour?
Christina BAHADOOR-HOSEIN: Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago have a history of diplomatic relations and economic co-operation stemming from their shared membership in Caricom. This relationship has facilitated the movement of labour between the two countries, with Suriname often being open to skilled workers from Trinidad and Tobago in sectors such as engineering, construction, energy and services.
Moreover, Trinidadian labour may be viewed favourably in Suriname due to perceived similarities in the oil and gas landscape and the professional experience in this area. This contributes to a smoother integration of Trinidadian workers into the Surinamese workforce compared to workers from other countries.
In addition, there is a relatively more positive response in Suriname to hiring foreign labour because they have already identified that their local workforce alone cannot support their initiatives. There is not as strict of a barrier around local content as in Guyana, so the response has been better.

MCT: Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, we had a very positive response from international companies in Suriname who had asked us to find them human resources. However, the challenge we faced was that there was a shortage of the required skilled labour even in Trinidad. There is an exodus of human resources happening in Trinidad. Some workers are returning to Trinidad when their contracts abroad expire, but most times they continue to look for opportunities in more attractive countries to work in.

In which professions and areas of expertise do you witness a brain drain that could impact the regional energy industry?
CBH: We have observed a significant brain drain affecting several key professions and areas of expertise crucial to the regional energy industry. Primarily, we have witnessed a notable exodus of highly skilled professionals in engineering disciplines, including petroleum engineering, chemical engineering and electrical engineering. Additionally, there has been a substantial loss of expertise in specialised technical fields such as geoscience, reservoir engineering and drilling operations.
Moreover, we’ve noticed a concerning trend in the departure of experienced professionals in support roles critical to the energy sector, such as project management, procurement and logistics. This brain drain poses a significant challenge to the sustainability and growth of the regional energy industry as it diminishes the pool of local talent available to drive innovation, efficiency and competitiveness.
As a recruitment agency dedicated to bridging talent gaps and facilitating workforce development in Trinidad and Tobago, we are committed to addressing this challenge by actively sourcing and matching highly qualified professionals with the evolving needs of the energy sector. Through strategic talent acquisition and retention initiatives, we aim to mitigate the impact of the brain drain and support the continued success of the regional energy industry.

How important are partnerships to Eve Anderson in sourcing skills to meet human resources demands?
CBH: At Eve Anderson Recruitment, we recognise the importance of partnerships in effectively sourcing skills to meet the human resources demands of today’s competitive landscape. Collaborative partnerships with industry stakeholders, educational institutions, professional associations and other recruitment agencies both locally and internationally are instrumental in accessing a diverse talent pool and staying abreast of evolving skill requirements.
These partnerships enable us to tap into specialised networks and leverage industry insights to identify emerging skill trends and anticipate future talent needs. By building alliances with key stakeholders, we can access a broader range of candidates, ensuring we can meet the diverse staffing requirements of our clients across various sectors.
These relationships also allow us to engage in strategic talent development initiatives – such as training programmes, internships and mentorship opportunities – to nurture and upskill candidates to align with the specific demands of our clients’ industries.

MCT: We believe partnerships are the key to future success in the region and especially as many companies view the Caribbean as one entity – so talent and labour should be allowed free movement across the islands and Guyana and Suriname. We shall focus on returning residents in the next two years, especially from the North American market, with the hope that they find attractive opportunities in our area.

Read our latest insights on:

• Guyana
• Suriname
• Trinidad and Tobago