Puma Energy Ghana and the Careers and Counselling Centre – University of Ghana (UG) have announced a strategic partnership to recruit talent from the country into its businesses, locally and across the African sub-region.
The partnership forms part of efforts to bridge the gap between industry and higher learning education, and to provide young people with a firm foothold in a particular industry.
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, General Manager of Puma Energy Ghana, 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 from each other and our rich experiences. This, I believe, contributes to making us formidable as an organisation”.
Mr. Mlotshwa emphasised that the University of Ghana 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 university being internationally recognised. He added that over 90% of Puma Energy Ghana’s employees are already recruited locally; and in 2023 Puma Energy is focusing on recruiting some of the best graduates in the country by holding recruitment events at Ghanaian universities, including the University of Ghana.
“Students are people who take lessons from an educational institution to enter into a particular profession, thus it is always a delight and honour when we get offers from esteemed organisations like Puma Energy to play a catalyst role in driving students into their identified fields of profession. It is an exciting journey for both students and graduates, and a pat on the back for the institution. It shows we are on the right path,” Director-University of Ghana Career and Counselling Centre, Rev. Dr. Bridget Ben-Naimah, added.
Puma Energy’s decision to partner with the University of Ghana for its graduate training initiative stems from an undertaking to engage with and recruit from top universities in Africa for talent development. The University of Ghana 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, in confiming 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 University of Ghana. At Puma Energy, we are looking for talent who can bring unique skills and experiences to our entrepreneurial environment”.
Speaking about the 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 4,000 people working in over 40 countries globally, Puma Energy is committed to contributing to life improvement in all countries of its operation.
About Puma Energy
Puma Energy is a leading global energy business, safely providing energy across six continents. Our downstream business segments include fuels, 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.
