Shanae Heber’s Journey from Bartica to the Oil Fields

Mar 07, 2025 Features / Columnists, News

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Breaking the Mold

Kaieteur News- In the heart of Guyana’s evolving economy stands Shanae Heber, a 23-year-old petroleum engineer whose journey from Bartica’s 4th Avenue to the frontlines of the nation’s burgeoning oil and gas industry epitomises what it means to challenge conventions and forge new paths.

Known in her childhood neighbourhood as “the little girl with the pink car,” Shanae’s early years were marked by a blend of girlish charm and entrepreneurial spirit. “I was a girl who played with my neighbour for most of my days doing the famous backyard cooking with sand and grass and also practicing ‘bring it on’ dance routines,” she recalls. “At just 7 years, we even ventured into a business where we sold plantain chips and channa just so that we could save our money to purchase whatever we liked.”

This entrepreneurial drive was fuelled by her earliest role model – her mother, a former Miss Bartica Regatta first runner-up in 1999, who raised Shanae as a single parent. “She did it with grace, grit and poured her all into me just so that I could have had a better life than she did,” Shanae shares with evident pride. “I admired her strength and resilience through every obstacle, and that fuelled me to always pursue my aspirations regardless of my environment.”

From Pageantry to Petroleum

Her mother’s pageant photos sparked Shanae’s interest in beauty competitions, eventually leading her to participate in the Miss Bartica Regatta pageant herself. Simultaneously, she was drawn to science. “I was always an outside of the box girl. I wanted to do something no one in my family did and had first hopes of being a doctor,” she explains.

While her initial interest was in chemical engineering, the University of Guyana didn’t offer this program at the time. Instead, she noticed they had petroleum engineering as an option. “I decided to sign up because I thought to myself that this is a fledgling industry in my country, and I can be one of the persons who contribute to our industry,” she reflects.

The journey wasn’t without challenges, particularly financial ones. “PE is a very expensive program, and being a student who was supported by a single parent, it was the most difficult aspect,” Shanae admits. “However, I eventually got a job that somewhat supported me, but it still wasn’t enough. All in all, I was able to graduate at the end.”

Navigating a Male-Dominated Field

As a young woman in a technical field, Shanae has faced her share of obstacles. “The negative opinions of men and the high expectations of the career” were significant challenges. “Though we are living in unconventional times where we are moving away from norms, the traditional mindset of men still lingers,” she explains.

She recounts experiences of being mistaken for a secretary or hearing comments like “you don’t look like what you do.” Some colleagues even attempted to remove her from roles, believing she was “too young” or “incompetent” to perform specific duties. But her strategy for establishing credibility has been to “never stop learning. The more I know, the better. And the more I know, the more I am able to do,” she asserts. “Even though I have a degree, I still ensure that I take every training that my company offers or even outside of this.”

Making a Difference

Shanae isn’t just breaking barriers for herself, she’s actively working to improve conditions for other women in the industry. She shares an instance when she confronted management about an expatriate colleague who made her feel inadequate for her role. “I took it up with management, explained how I felt, what caused it, and how the organization can approach these matters better. Today, another woman is in the same role that I was in,” she notes with satisfaction.

Looking ahead, Shanae is passionate about increasing female representation in engineering. “While the female to male ratio of Engineers is on the rise, it is still not enough,” she emphasizes. “We need more women to take up these spaces, to know that that’s where you belong. We need more women to continue to fill these roles because that’s the society we should strive to create; an equitable one where women are given the same opportunities as our male counterparts.”

Shanae’s vision extends beyond merely being an example for others. She aims to “not only be a source of inspiration but help them to achieve new levels of success by coaching, mentoring and curating activities that will aid in their development because when we have a nation of accomplished women, it’s amazing what we can achieve altogether.”

At just 23, Shanae views her journey as just beginning. “I can stand tall today and proudly say that I did it and continue to do it,” she states. Her story is one of determination, adaptability, and breaking glass ceilings – a timely inspiration as International Women’s Day approaches. As Guyana’s oil and gas sector continues to expand, Shanae Heber represents the new generation of professionals who are not only contributing their technical expertise but are also reshaping the industry’s culture from within, proving that even a little girl from Bartica with a pink car can grow up to power a nation’s future.

(Shanae Heber’s Journey from Bartica to the Oil Fields)

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• Breaking the Mold, Male-Dominated Field, Pageantry to Petroleum, Shanae Heber

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