Employment: Dangote inducts new graduate trainees; says youth employment is key to nation’s growth

The Pan-African Conglomerate, Dangote Industries Limited has inducted a new batch of Graduate Trainees in its Graduate Trainee programme, with the management declaring that continuous investments in critical sectors of the economy to create employment and promote decent jobs is irrevocable.

Addressing the trainees yesterday, the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote gave the trajectory of the Dangote businesses explaining it transformed from being a commodity trading company to manufacturing in the quest to contribute to the industrial development of the country thus repositioning Nigeria in the African industrial landscape.

He explained that the mission of the Group is to touch the peoples’ lives by providing their basic needs and that this could only be fulfilled through manufacturing of the goods that could meet the people’s needs hence the massive investments in various sectors of the economy.

According to him, manufacturing to meet the people’s needs comes with employment creation as manufacturing is one of the potent ways of lifting the people from poverty through the creation of gainful employment which has led the institution of the graduate trainee programme of which they are beneficiaries.

He added it was in the quest to meet the peoples’ needs through massive job creation that his Group added three new business portfolios worth over $ 20 billion in refinery, Petrochemical and fertiliser.

The investments according to him will also generate about $ 16 billion in foreign exchange for the country and a combined 250,000 jobs to help in reducing joblessness among the youths.

He highlighted the core values of the Dangote organisation as Customer Service, Entrepreneurship, Excellence and Leadership and urged the new trainees to dream big and be passionate about their jobs.

Also addressing the trainees, the Group Managing Director of Dangote Industries Limited, Kunle Alake said Dangote Group is passionate about its vision and mission and told the trainees to show the right attitude to work when deployed so as to contribute to the continuous growth of the company while also having a fulfilled career.

While taking them through various portfolios of the Group, he told them to make the best use of the opportunity offered them by being selected among hundreds that applied for the training and be diligent in whatever they are doing.

In her presentation, the Dangote Industries Limited, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, Nglan Niat asked the trainees to consider themselves lucky to have scaled through the thorough screening process and come out successfully, describing their selection as a big opportunity as they have a variety of Business Units to choose from when ready for deployment.

Giving an insight into the graduate trainees programme, she explained that it was put in place to have a ready supply of manpower and talent, adding that the Dangote Group human resource vision is to “attract and retain talents through an excellent employee experience that enables sustainable growth for Dangote Group and its stakeholders.

According to her, “by applying, you have made the right decision in your career journey, working in Dangote is more than just a career, it is meaningful work which improves the lives of millions of people. You must have the right attitude and skills”

Responding on behalf of the Trainees, one of the trainees, Ibrahim Abdulahi thanked the management of the Group for the opportunity offered them by being selected to chart a good career path because Dangote Group is a leading conglomerate in Africa.

He assured that they will not let the management down and would conduct themselves in a way to show that their selection was not misplaced but a good decision.