As part of efforts to bridge the gap between industry and higher learning education and to complement government efforts to decrease the graduate unemployment rate, Puma Energy Ghana and the College of Engineering at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have announced a strategic partnership to recruit talent from Ghana into its businesses in Ghana and across the African continent.
This collaboration realises Puma Energy’s drive to appreciate and harness talent in all its operating countries. The programme brings together graduates with experienced trainers for an intensive 12-month training programme designed to nurture and provide exciting opportunities for those who excel to evolve within the company.
Speaking about the initiative, the General Manager of Puma Energy Ghana, Mr. Zwelithini Mlotshwa, said: “Puma Energy is constantly building its talent pipeline. We like to develop talent in local markets, and it is always exciting and an honour to foster the gems that are within our operational areas. In doing so, we learn both from one another and our rich experiences. This, I believe, contributes to making us formidable as an organisation”.
Mr. Zwelithini Mlotshwa emphasised that the College of Engineering of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology is respected and acknowledged for its commitment to teaching and research excellence matched with its commitment to addressing social challenges through a range of research interests. This has resulted in all degrees from the college being internationally recognised.
Expressing her sentiments on the collaboration, the Director of KNUST Career Service Centre, Ms. Selina Angmor, added: “Engineers are people who take discoveries from the sciences and use them to solve problems that change the world. So it is always a delight and an honour when we get offers from esteemed organisations like Puma Energy to recruit talents from our pool of graduates to partner with them to change the world. It is an exciting journey for graduates and a pat on our back as an institution. It shows we are on the right path”.
Puma Energy’s decision to partner with the College of Engineering at KNUST for its graduate training initiative stems from an undertaking to engage with and recruit from, top universities in Africa for talent development. The College of Engineering KNUST became a partner of choice as a result of its active research interests, faculty of adept professionals, and its internal training programmes directed at readying graduates for the job market.
Yasmina Lloyd, Graduate Recruitment Manager, Puma Energy, reiterating their choice, said: “Puma Energy is committed to recruiting and developing talent across our markets in Africa, and we welcome opportunities to engage with academic institutions such as the College of Engineering at KNUST. At Puma Energy, we are looking for talents who can bring unique skills and experiences to our entrepreneurial environment”. Speaking about graduate training experience with Puma Energy, Mrs. Lloyd added: “We encourage creative thinking and provide platforms to pilot new ideas which can evolve into commercial opportunities. This enables us to develop tailor-made solutions to market specific challenges”.
With more than 4000 people working in over 40 countries globally, Puma Energy is committed to contributing to life improvement in all countries of its operation.
Puma Energy is a leading global energy business, safely providing energy across six continents. Our downstream business segments include fuels, aviation, lubricants, LPG and bitumen. We have 1,998 retail sites – 700 in Africa, a network of bitumen terminals, and we are present at 108 airports. Our purpose is energising communities to help drive growth and prosperity by sustainably serving our customers’ needs in high-potential countries around the world.
