{"id":1238,"date":"2025-08-29T14:40:38","date_gmt":"2025-08-29T14:40:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/energyguyana.gy\/?p=1238"},"modified":"2025-11-08T12:14:03","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T12:14:03","slug":"britney-benjamin-is-flying-high","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/energyguyana.gy\/index.php\/2025\/08\/29\/britney-benjamin-is-flying-high\/","title":{"rendered":"Britney Benjamin is Flying High"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Britney Benjamin did not set out to become Guyana\u2019s only female offshore drone pilot. But her curiosity about how things work and her drive to do more paved the way. \u201cMy journey of becoming a field technician and a drone pilot was both challenging and rewarding,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGrowing up, I was always curious about how things worked, especially technology and heavy-duty machines.\u201d After completing secondary school, she enrolled at the Essequibo Technical Institute. \u201cThat experience lit a spark,\u201d she recalled. \u201cI realized I could thrive in this space.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She landed her first job at Farmsup Limited, where she spent five years, rising to become a fuel pump specialist and later a senior in her department. But that was not enough for Britney. She craved new challenges, wanted to expand her skills, and felt a deep desire to move beyond the confines of the workshop and into a role where she could make a broader impact, one that combined her technical expertise with innovation and fieldwork. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wanted to be more than just a fuel pump specialist,\u201d she explained. \u201cI wanted to spread my wings. I know I had the potential to do better.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That drive led her to Axess GLASS Guyana Inc., where she stepped into the oil and gas industry for the first time. \u201cIt was extremely difficult for me to make the change at first,\u201d Britney admitted, adding that she nevertheless quickly adapted with the help of the Axess team. She got several training opportunities, including drone pilot training. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first, she was not excited. But things changed. \u201cThe more I got familiarized, the more I found myself wanting to learn more about how the drone works.\u201d Soon, she was hooked. \u201cI became fascinated with the applications, especially in the offshore operations like inspection and environmental Britney Benjamin is Guyana\u2019s only female offshore drone pilot monitoring.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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And her interest in drone technology was both practical and personal. \u201cAs a field technician, I was already working in environments where safety, precision, and efficiency were critical,\u201d she noted. \u201cI began noticing how drone technology was being used in other countries to inspect offshore platforms and collect environmental data without putting people in risky situations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To earn her credentials, she completed a certified drone pilot program. \u201cI started with basic training to understand the principles of flight, weather patterns, airspace regulations, and drone systems,\u201d she said. \u201cI then completed a certified drone pilot program, which included both written exams and practical flight tests.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Guyana, this meant meeting the regulations of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority. \u201cThese are becoming increasingly structured as drone use expands across the industry,\u201d she remarked. Benjamin also had to understand the specific needs of the oil and gas sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhether it\u2019s flare inspection or structure surveys, precision, data integrity, and safety are non-negotiable in those settings.\u201d Breaking into the field as a woman came with unique challenges. \u201cOne of the biggest challenges was being taken seriously,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s often an assumption that women don\u2019t belong in the field or that we are only there for administrative or support roles. \u201cI had to constantly prove that I not only had the skills, but also the grit to work in a high-pressure, physically demanding environment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were moments she doubted her place. \u201cSometimes the doubts didn\u2019t even come from others; they came from within,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019d ask myself, \u2018What if I mess up? What if I\u2019m not good enough?\u201d What helped her push through was purpose. \u201cI wasn\u2019t just doing it for me but for my family as well. Growing up wasn\u2019t always easy. My parents had to work hard to make ends meet. I learned that doubt is normal, but giving up isn\u2019t an option when your vision is bigger than your fear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her support system played a significant role. \u201cYes, my family. My parents, sisters, and my best friend were always there for me,\u201d she said. \u201cAnytime I felt like giving up, they would advise me to keep going.\u201d Today, her workdays offshore blend rigorous planning and technical precision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA typical day Offshore Drone Pilot Britney Benjamin for me offshore usually starts early, often before sunrise,\u201d she explained. \u201cWe begin with a safety briefing and a toolbox talk with the team, going over the day\u2019s objectives and any potential risks. As a field technician, I might be involved in inspection, maintenance, or installation.\u201d When there are scheduled drone operations, the work becomes even more focused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI first conduct a risk assessment and flight session, checking the wind speeds, verifying airspace clearance, and reviewing the structure or area we are surveying.\u201d She combines self-study with reflection to stay ahead in the fast-evolving field of drone technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cI regularly keep myself updated with research and self-operation training,\u201d she said. \u201cAfter every job, I review what went well and what could be improved.\u201d Benjamin hopes her journey will open minds and doors. \u201cI hope my story shows young women in Guyana and beyond that they belong in spaces where they have traditionally been told they don\u2019t,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhether it\u2019s offshore, in a lab, behind a drone controller, or leading a tech project, I want them to see that their gender should never limit their ambition.\u201d \u201cChoosing a STEM or non-traditional path might not be easy, but it\u2019s worth it,\u201d she added. \u201cThere is strength in being the first. But there\u2019s even more power in making sure you\u2019re not the last.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Looking ahead, she has big goals. \u201cI definitely see myself continuing to advance in drone operations. I want to deepen my specialization in advanced drone technologies,\u201d she said. She also wants to mentor others. \u201cMentorship is a huge goal of mine,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI want to create more structured pathways for young women and students of Guyana to explore STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics].\u201d \u201cI know how important visibility and guidance are when you\u2019re trying to enter a field where no one looks like you,\u201d she added. \u201cWe have so much untapped potential and I want to be part of shaping that future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Britney Benjamin did not set out to become Guyana\u2019s only female offshore drone pilot. But her curiosity about how things work and her drive to do more paved the way. \u201cMy journey of becoming a field technician and a drone pilot was both challenging and rewarding,\u201d she said. \u201cGrowing up, I was always curious about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1367,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":30,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,20],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1238","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-featured","8":"category-women"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/energyguyana.gy\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/energyguyana.gy\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/energyguyana.gy\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/energyguyana.gy\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/energyguyana.gy\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1238"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/energyguyana.gy\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1238\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1366,"href":"https:\/\/energyguyana.gy\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1238\/revisions\/1366"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/energyguyana.gy\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1367"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/energyguyana.gy\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/energyguyana.gy\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/energyguyana.gy\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}