Africa-Press – Botswana. In an effort to unlock a future full of potential, De Beers Group in collaboration with some government departments, held a day’s workshop in Maun for young people to empower them on career paths and opportunities available through their programme, Talent Development Programme.
The programme aims to equip youths with necessary skills and give them opportunities to access the diamond value chain. Held on Friday at Botswana Open University, Maun campus, the workshop gave young people a platform to learn how to craft sound curriculum vitae, master interviews skills, networking and knowledge needed to meet the demands of the job market.
Giving an overview of the programme, De Beers Group external communication manager, Ms Tumie Ramsden highlighted that the programme was part of the new 10-year agreement between government and De Beers, which also included an extension of mining licenses and a sales agreement.
The programme, she said, aimed to support Batswana youth with various development opportunities for the next decade. She, therefore, urged them to come on board and actively utilise the programme. Young people, she said, should understand that at times life does not turn out the way they had hoped it would and advised them to utilise every opportunity that came their way.
“We are here to inspire young people to appreciate available opportunities we offer as De Beers as well as to encourage them to venture into income-generating projects that can create employment opportunities for others. Unemployment rate is indeed high, particularly for young people and we believe this programme can enhance employability and promote entrepreneurship,” she added.
Ms Ramsden explained that the programme aimed to develop a skilled, confident and future-ready generation. She also reminded the gathering that Botswana was a world leader in diamond production and shared how the commodity had transformed the nation to a prosperous one.
She stressed the need to protect the resource and wished Batswana could keep on telling beautiful stories on the importance of diamonds, citing that the industry had created jobs, both directly and indirectly in mining and in related sectors such as processing, construction, sorting and retail.
“We need to boldly tell real stories of what natural diamonds have done for our country and its economy and it is pleasing that the Okavango Diamond Company is selling some of the diamonds. Government has significantly increased local diamond sorting and beneficiation aiming to add more value to its diamonds before export,” she said.
The vice president of Human Resources unit at De Beers, Mr Olefile Setswamokwena said the Talent Development Programme, as a citizen empowerment initiative, focused on five opportunities being international graduate development programme, leadership accelerator programme, sponsorship, government leadership programme as well as internship, where final year students could be given an opportunity to learn for three to six months in the diamond space.
The International Graduate Development programme, he said, offered high performing university graduates a two-year international placement within De Beers Group’s global operations and 50 per cent of the students may end up being employed by the company. Mr Setswamokwena said young people should appreciate that the government was preparing for the future in case the mine closed, hence more programmes aimed to empower them and support entrepreneurship.
Another facilitator at the workshop, Ms Magdeline Samuel gave an overview on Generation Unlimited, saying it was a global initiative focused on empowering young people with skills and giving them opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and social impact. The initiative, she said, helped youth to start their own businesses, offered platforms that fostered connections between them and potential employers. Moreover, she urged young people to take advantage of initiatives such as internship and Tirelo Sechaba as they helped them to gain experience and enrich their curriculum vitae.
“These initiatives can open doors for you. As such, I encourage you to apply yourselves when given the opportunity. Brand yourselves and also learn to volunteer because it fosters personal growth, enhances skills, builds connections and promotes social responsibility,” she said.
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