AngloGold Ashanti – Obuasi Mine has reiterated its commitment to youth development, particularly within the catchment areas of the Obuasi Mine, as it continues to pursue a number of youth-based development initiatives.
The ‘Graduate Trainee Programme,’ introduced in 2019, one of such core initiatives of the Obuasi Mine, has, to date, successfully trained a total of eighteen graduates. Eight of the graduate trainees have now been employed by the company, after applying to advertised vacancies.
The Managing Director, of AngloGold Ashanti, Dr. Eric Asubonteng, speaking in an interview at the passing out ceremony for the second batch of the programme, said “it is a core aspect of what we do to help train the youth in our communities.”
This features prominently in the bigger scheme of things in terms of CSI initiatives, according to the MD of the Mine, while stating for example that sixty-four percent of the graduate trainees are from the host communities.
Additionally, he noted that a significant portion of the females of the trainees are females which demonstrates the pursuit of the company “to address a particular need and to achieve a particular outcome.”
Against this background he said developing the human capital is key priority of the Mine while they continue to meet other development expectations.
AngloGold Ashanti launched the Graduate Trainee Programme in 2019. A development initiative for brilliant and promising young graduates from Ghana’s tertiary institutions.
The programme aims primarily to bridge the gap between school and work, by offering a structured programme to help recent graduates to gain work experience and technical skills across various disciplines in the mining industry.
Dr. Asubonteng acknowledged that additionally, “the programme places a high value on teaching and developing good work ethics by instilling in the participants, discipline, and a culture of accountability, which are critical traits of our graduate trainee programme.”
He underscored the fact that the high proportion of female graduate trainees is a deliberate effort of the Obuasi Mine “to support the development and representation of women in our operation and by extension, the broader mining industry in Ghana.”
The MD challenged the trainees, wherever they may find themselves, to be always guided by the good work ethics they were taught.
The Senior Human Resource Manager, of AngloGold Ashanti – Obuasi Mine, Wosiela Eve Bobie, observed that the company has encouragingly realized its objectives in establishing and maintaining a talent pool of graduates, creating value and improving the practical knowledge and skills of beneficiaries of the programme through a well thought-through framework.
The graduate trainees were assigned mentors who in partnership with the Training and Development team facilitated and ensured transfer of knowledge and skills coupled with hands-on exposure to filed work.
She said all graduate trainees were required to submit regular learning outcomes which were carefully evaluated and used as input to continuously improve their learning experiences and ensure that their development was holistic and purposeful.
In addition to this, she observed that each graduate trainee undertook research and cost-saving projects in preparation towards a final cost-saving and business improvement presentation.
All the graduate trainees were presented with a certificate of completion while those who exceled were specially acknowledged.
Lois Asiedua Ahenkorah was adjudged the ‘Overall Best Trainee’ as well as ‘Best Female Graduate Trainee,’ of the second batch, while Josephine Osei Bonsu was also awarded for the ‘Best Innovative idea.’
The graduate trainees in a group picture with some management members of AngloGold Ashanti – Obuasi Mine
