Africa’s greatest asset lies in its people and according to a population data compiled by the United Nations, by 2050, Africa will be home to 2.5 billion people, meaning one in every four humans on Earth will be African. This is the foundation of everything Africa builds next.
Africa is an emerging economy and home to the world’s youngest and fastest growing population, creating enormous opportunities for industrial development and transformation, as the power plants, grids, industries and infrastructure of the coming decades will be built and run by the youths of today. However, a young population does not automatically become an economic advantage, it takes intentional and deliberate investment in young people to empower them with the requisite skills and the opportunities to build Africa.
At Transcorp, we are filling this gap through our several talent development and empowerment programmes, one of which is the Transcorp Ignite Programme. The initiative is a corporate social investment that develops empowers young engineering talents. Through practical exposure, technical learning, mentorship and experience within our power businesses, Transcorp Power Plc Ughelli and Transafam Power Limited, Okoloma, the Transcorp Ignite initiative helps young engineers move beyond what they know in theory and develop the capabilities required to solve real world problems. Beyond preparing young people for their first jobs, it is preparing them for the problems Africa has not yet solved.
The first cohort brought together 100 young engineers in Phase one which was streamlined to 20 young engineers in Phase two, giving them the opportunity to move beyond what they know in theory and develop the capabilities required to solve real-world problems. Beyond preparing young people for their first jobs, Ignite is preparing them for the problems Africa has not yet solved.
This is only the beginning. Building on this foundation, Transcorp plans to expand the next cohort, creating opportunities for more young people to gain practical experience, develop their capabilities and contribute to the future of the energy sector. As the continent expands its energy infrastructure and builds the industries of tomorrow, it will need engineers who are technically capable, curious, adaptable and ready to lead.
The Transcorp Ignite Programme is one way Transcorp is contributing to building that pipeline of talent today, complementing the government’s effort.
With a firm belief that Africa needs to build in scale and fast too, it is expedient that we sustainably prepare our young talents to help build the future we want, from today. Africa’s most important driver for the type of development it needs is the human capital who can design, build, operate, maintain and improve the systems that keep economies moving. These systems vary from energy and manufacturing to transport, technology and infrastructure, and engineers will sit at the centre of how the continent turns its potential into something tangible.
For businesses operating in these critical sectors, investing in that talent is therefore an investment in the future.