High-performing graduates from universities and colleges in Angola, DRC, The Gambia and Sierra Leone to get work experience, training and employment opportunities at Africell.
Africell Group is partnering with over fifteen universities and colleges in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), The Gambia and Sierra Leone to launch an innovative scheme through which ambitious recent graduates can receive structured training and work experience at Africell, a fast-growing pan-African telecommunications operator.
Successful applicants to the ‘Future Leaders Programme’ will enjoy paid, year-long placements at Africell, in departments that suit their academic skills and interests. They will receive formal mentorship from existing leaders and specialists within the business and will be exposed to a range of functions and workstreams to develop their professional confidence and competence. During the programme, the cohort will have access to special training focused on leadership, languages, innovation and social impact, equipping them to advance either within Africell or at other organisations. At the end of each year-long cycle, the best performing candidates will be invited to apply for full-time positions at Africell, at which point it is expected that they will be on track for eventual elevation to senior leadership roles.
“The Future Leaders Programme is about two things”, explains Linda Mvoko, Africell’s Chief People Officer. “First, it is about strengthening our pipeline of talent. We want to identify, train and be at the front of the line for hiring the next generation of telecommunications leaders. The second goal is to create meaningful job opportunities within our operating markets which support livelihoods and help to build wider economic capacity. As a major private sector investor, we want to be the destination of choice for ambitious university graduates seeking a demanding and rewarding career in a globally relevant sector.”
The Future Leaders Programme is being inaugurated in Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo, with phase two to follow in The Gambia and Sierra Leone. Although the initial focus is on external recruits, a complementary track will also be launched for emerging talent already working at Africell who have the potential to rise into top management positions.
The programme builds on several other initiatives undertaken by Africell to expand access to knowledge and skills. For example, through a partnership with the London School of Economics (LSE), Africell has delivered training in entrepreneurship and innovation to employees, local students and government officials in Angola, The Gambia and Sierra Leone (and in 2025 will complete the circuit in DRC). The Camino Do Bem programme, created in collaboration with the Fundação Arte e Cultura, gives internships to orphans and other disadvantaged young people in Angola. And state-of-the-art Africell learning centres in DRC, The Gambia and Sierra Leone have become lively educational hubs both for Africell employees and members of the public.
Ziad Dalloul, Africell’s CEO and President, says that the Future Leaders Programme is an effort involving the whole of Africell Group.
“We operate in four distinct countries, but we are one company, and that is how we think about our team. Participants in the Future Leaders Programme will be exposed not only to the technicalities of their local role, but also to the bigger picture of Africell Group’s mission, vision and values. As the scheme progresses, we hope to build a group of high-performing young colleagues who identify strongly with the brand, who can help link our operating companies together, and who see Africell as an interesting and enriching place to build long-term careers”.
Candidate selection is done in formal collaboration with partner universities. These include:
Angola: ISUTIC (Instituto De Tecnologias De Informação E Comunicação); Universidade Católica de Angola; Universidade Jean Piaget de Angola; Universidade Agostinho Neto
DRC: UNIKIN (Université de Kinshasa); ISIPA (Institut Superieur d’Informatique , Programmation et Analyse)
The Gambia: University of Science, Engineering and Technology; American International University of West Africa; University of the Gambia
Sierra Leone: Fourah Bay College; Limkokwing University; Milton Margai Technical University