HAGÅTÑA, Guam — Tristar Terminals Guam has joined the Guam Registered Apprenticeship Program as a new sponsor, a move Guam labor officials say will expand apprenticeship opportunities in the island’s petroleum and energy sector.
The Guam Department of Labor said Tristar, Guam’s largest bulk fuel storage facility, is now partnering under GRAP to strengthen workforce development and grow apprenticeship opportunities across the company in the coming years.
GDOL Director David Dell’Isola said the partnership marks a major step in expanding GRAP into new industries, including petroleum, and said the department expects the collaboration to help create more apprenticeship opportunities for local residents while helping set standards for apprenticeship in Guam’s energy sector.
GDOL said Tristar is working with the department and GCA Trades Academy to provide structured, paid on-the-job training and classroom instruction for employees across multiple skilled trades. The department said the company relaunched the program with renewed leadership and stronger program design.
Tristar Terminal Manager John Aflleje said the company sees apprenticeship as a way to build its workforce on Guam by using experienced journey workers to pass on skills to the next generation.
GDOL said Tristar currently has four apprentices enrolled in GRAP, including welders, electricians, and heavy equipment operators. The company also plans to expand apprenticeship opportunities into additional operations and office-based roles such as accounting, administrative support, and human resources.
Tristar Deputy Terminal Manager Milton Panakal said the program allows the company to align its trades with apprenticeship standards while expanding participation beyond traditional trade positions. He also said the program has been well received by the company’s corporate headquarters and credited support from the GRAP office.
GDOL said GRAP helps businesses train employees through structured on-the-job learning and classroom instruction, and said participating employers may qualify for tax credits against gross receipts tax liability equal to 50% of eligible training costs paid or incurred by the business.
The department also said Tristar operates a 250-acre terminal that holds much of Guam’s commercial fuel supply and supports key U.S. military and civilian energy needs. GDOL said Tristar plans to expand its facilities and land footprint in Guam and views its GRAP sponsorship as central to building a stronger locally rooted workforce.
