A transformative skills development initiative for young Surinamese energy professionals reached a key milestone recently, when six program participants met SBM Offshore CEO Øivind Tangen during a gathering in Malaysia. The meeting took place on Life Day, an annual company event dedicated to centering workplace safety, employee health and overall staff well-being across global operations.
The graduate training program, launched earlier this year, is a collaborative venture between STS, a joint partnership of SBM Offshore, Technip Energies and the government of Suriname, created specifically to support the $1.2 billion GranMorgu FPSO oil and gas production project off Suriname’s coast. Designed to build local capacity for the fast-growing offshore energy sector, the program prioritizes preparing young Surinamese talent for long-term careers in the emerging industry.
Over the 19-month comprehensive training curriculum, participants complete rotational stints across three international training hubs in Guyana, Malaysia and China, gaining hands-on practical experience alongside veteran industry teams. Trainees work directly on operational activities, join core project working groups, and even spend time at the shipyard where the GranMorgu FPSO production vessel is under construction, giving them first-hand insight into every stage of large-scale offshore energy development.
All six participants are recent graduates from three leading Surinamese higher education institutions: Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Polytechnic College Suriname, and IBW University of Applied Sciences. They bring diverse academic backgrounds aligned with critical needs for Suriname’s offshore sector, including electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, process technology, occupational safety, and supply chain procurement.
Program organizers note that each of these skill sets is essential to the sustained growth of Suriname’s nascent offshore oil and gas industry. Upon successful completion of the full 19-month program, graduates will be eligible for open positions at SBM Offshore Suriname, giving them a direct pathway to full-time employment in their chosen field.
The core mission of the initiative extends beyond individual job placement: partnering companies aim to upskill a new generation of local workers, strengthen domestic expertise in offshore energy operations, and create opportunities for Surinamese professionals to take on larger, more central roles in all future national offshore projects, including the landmark GranMorgu development.
During the Malaysia meeting, safety and employee well-being were also core discussion topics. SBM Offshore reaffirmed that these two priorities will remain non-negotiable foundational values for all its future operations across Suriname’s offshore sector.