FIFTEEN Copperbelt University (CBU) engineering students have been inducted as graduate engineer trainees at Dangote Cement Zambia Limited in Masaiti district. Dangote Chief Executive officer Vipul Agrawal said, is to train Zambian engineers to operate state-of the-art technology Cement & Power plants and develop into leaders. The 15 CBU Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical and Mining-engineering students selected to participate in the program were issued with a two year contract. Mr Agrawal said the graduates would go through structured, but intense hands on training to consolidate their academic knowledge. “On conclusion of their training, they will be absorbed in responsible positions in the company. The Graduate Engineer Trainee program is a key component of succession planning and building of talent pull at Dangote,” he said. The first Program for GET”s was launched in 2016 culminating in some of the graduate engineers taking leadership positions at Dangote. The Chief Executive Officer said the program had yielded positive results by exposing fresh graduates to industrial challenges while working under the guidance of experienced technocrats from diverse backgrounds. Mr Agrawal further alluded that, Dangote would continue to partner with other institutions of higher learning across the country as a way of supporting government efforts to develop skilled workforce and betterment of society. And Dangote Plant Director Xavier Kennedy said, this program will expose the trainees to practical part of the theory learnt in school. Meanwhile a student representative, Harriet Likomeno thanked management at Dangote for according them an opportunity to be part of Africa’s largest cement manufacturing company. She promised that they will put in their level best best to meet the aspirations of the company through the GET program.
