“It’s nonetheless an rising market so there aren’t going to be big numbers, but when I used to be in command of worldwide pupil recruitment, I might be trying on the oil and fuel executives – the expats and native Guyanese staff who’ve discovered larger paying jobs,” CEO of Intead Ben Waxman informed The PIE Information.
In 2022, Guyana was reclassified as a high-income nation by the World Financial institution after Exxon Mobil found big offshore oil shops in 2015, placing the nation on observe to be a prime oil producer by 2027 and boosting its quickly rising center class.
On prime of Guyana’s financial prospects, it’s the solely English-speaking nation in South America, so there isn’t a language barrier for college students learning within the US, UK Canada or Australia, in accordance with Waxman.
“The entire nation has a inhabitants of 800,000 so it’s a comparatively small market, the rise of the center class will take a while and lots of households usually are not going to have the ability to afford a international schooling with out scholarships.
“However chances are high that the executives working for these [oil and gas] corporations are on the lookout for alternatives outdoors the nation for his or her youngsters to be educated,” mentioned Waxman.
Guyanese college students have restricted choices for post-secondary schooling at house, with the College of Guyana rating 192 in The QS Latin American and Caribbean 2024 college rankings.
Sooner or later sooner or later, economics and politics and different issues can change and when you’re completely reliant on China, or India or South Korea, you’re going to be in hassle.
Ben Waxman
The US State Division places Guyana at a degree 3 danger attributable to crime, which implies that the relative perceived security of the US is perhaps much less of a priority for Guyanese college students than it’s for college students from different locations equivalent to Japan, Waxman famous.
Whereas Guyana’s measurement means it is going to by no means exchange the Indian or Chinese language markets, there’s rising consciousness of the significance of diversifying supply nations to mitigate the danger of counting on college students from one market.
“There may be extra recognition that range is essential; and it’s not simply concerning the worth of getting range, nevertheless it’s additionally about having a extra numerous provide chain of scholars.
“Sooner or later sooner or later, economics and politics and different issues can change and when you’re completely reliant on China, or India or South Korea, you’re going to be in hassle.
“So, the sensible recruiters are recognising that actuality, in order that they’re going to their mainstays, however yearly they’re additionally going to 1 or two rising markets simply to ensure the provision chain goes to be there for years and years,” mentioned Waxman.
With 27% of the Guyanese inhabitants aged 10 – 24 and a median age of 26, Guyana’s massive youth inhabitants is one other attraction for establishments seeking to develop into the market, which is underdeveloped with regards to pupil recruitment.
Alongside the financially motivated college students from the oil and fuel trade, it’s this younger cohort of Guyanese which might be more and more involved concerning the atmosphere, which recruitment officers ought to keep in mind, in accordance with Waxman.
“There may be particular curiosity in learning overseas, particularly amongst college students on the post-graduate degree or these looking for interdisciplinary packages within the arduous sciences,” mentioned Mellissa Ifill, deputy vice chancellor of Institutional Development on the College of Guyana.
Guyana’s low-lying shoreline is placing the nation at nice danger from heavy rainfall, sea-level rise and flooding brought on by local weather change, regardless of the nation’s newfound oil wealth, the rising era of Guyanese college students have local weather change on their thoughts.
“Worldwide establishments are typically blind and assume that they need to promote the complete establishment … this can be a case the place I might pitch a set of packages,” mentioned Waxman.
“I feel it’s all about environmental sciences and oil and fuel … and that’s the place many US establishments have nice strengths,” he added.
