Every once in a while, neighbours share a spot of sugar or a cup of rice; and even though the ingredients may not be the same in this instance, MACORP and the GFF are now locked in a similar agreement.
In collaborating with the Guyana Football Federation, Machinery Corporation of Guyana’s biggest question was, “What about life after football?”
With the corporate entity’s head office being in close proximity to the GFF’s National Training Centre at Providence, MACORP is all too familiar with the plight of some players, and, as such, on Tuesday signed with the GFF a Memorandum of Understanding that can change the course of several footballers’ lives for the better.
MACORP will be offering scholarships for two courses, and CEO Guillermo Escarraga emphasised the importance for these courses in the need for life after football.
“We know the Guyana Football Federation is doing a fantastic job giving them skills to perform on the field, but there’s life after the football career, and we want to make sure we make a contribution and we help them have a career that can sustain their families, that can assist them getting jobs once their football career has ended, or during the time they represent Guyana,” Escarraga explained.
Further, Escarraga highlighted the new work sectors that have been recently introduced to Guyana, and explained that the training MACORP is offering would fit right into those areas.
The MACORP CEO stated, “This training is important more than ever, because there’s a new industry starting to flourish in Guyana, and there are needs for new skills and people that know new fields, and this is something that we’ve been doing for quite some time now.
“But now it’s very important because the demand for skilled personnel is high, and it’s going to increase.
“We see there’s a lot of construction projects that are in the pipeline that will require definitely really good operators to ensure the quality of work is up to the highest standards.
“MACORP has always led the way in bringing the latest technology to the country, and we know we have a responsibility to train people,” Escarraga said as he expounding on the job opportunities that are imminent.
Beaming with gratitude towards the company, GFF President Wayne Forde posited that this MoU would see positive trickle effects in the generations to come, and he urged other corporate entities to mirror MACORP’s generosity.
“We know that if someone is given the opportunity to learn and to earn, the trickle-down effect of that would be children that are given the opportunity to have a stable home, a good education, and then themselves will go on to lead productive lives and continue to produce members of society that will be making positive contributions,” The GFF boss posited.
Forde went on to state, “I believe the example that is being set here today by MACORP is one that I would like to suggest other corporate giants across this land consider. And not just for football, for every sport. There are too many young men and women who would have served their country (with) distinction and, soon after their career would have ended, they are relegated to a life of (destitution).
“So, I think it’s important that we put the historical significance of what we’re doing here today,” Ecarraga said.
The two courses being offered to male and female players are the Excavator Operator, and Technicians for the Caribbean. The first would entail theoretical pass and simulator exercise practical on the machine, while the latter is an 18-course programme that can be completed virtually.
