Mining giant AngloGold Ashanti has reaffirmed its continuous support to the people of Obuasi as it reveals that some 52 percent of graduate trainees have been retained since 2019.
This according to the Managing Director Eric Asubonteng forms part of the commitment of the mining giant toward youth development.
Speaking in an interview at the passing out ceremony for the third (3rd) batch of the program, Mr. Asubonteng said Anglogold Ashanti is keen to make the training program the best in the mining industry in Ghana.
The ‘Graduate Trainee Programme,’ introduced in 2019, one of such core initiatives of the Obuasi Mine, has, so far, successfully trained a total of 29 graduates, including locals from Obuasi.
Eleven (11) new graduates have been ushered in to begin the next phase of the program.
“Since AGA always seeks for the best, our trust in the training program has culminated in the company recruiting 52% of the trainees into our main workforce. This was borne out of merit and qualifications”.
He added that the rationale behind the training program was to have smart Ghanaians who have gone through the educational system an opportunity in the Mine, since it is uniquely positioned as a business to help get them on their career path in the best possible manner into the industry.
As part of the training program, the trainees embark on projects and initiatives which solve business problems, and deliver improvement in cost efficiency, safety and operational efficiencies.
The Managing Director of AGA said the company has taken a keen interest and has adopted such projects, and implemented them to the benefit of their business.
Professor Anthony Simons, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa who was a guest for the program lauded Anglogold Ashanti for introducing the training program describing it as enormous since according to him such on-job opportunities are not common.
“Practical hands-on experience is critical to workers competency and productivity. In the mining industry, growth sustainability, training and development of Human resource cannot be underestimated”.
He however implored other mining companies in the country to adopt the program to enable fresh graduates to be well-equipped with the requisite training and skills in the field before they get appointments.
The overall best Graduate Trainee, Master Ebenezer Nicholson, spoke highly about the impact of the training program.
He opined that the program has provided them with the opportunity to learn the practical aspect of their studies in school.
