Over the past years, Addax Petroleum Cameroon Company (APCC) has been offering internship opportunities to young Cameroonian students and work experience to fresh graduates. In 2014, 34 candidates were recruited by all APCC departments compared to 23 last year.

This year, the orientation of the internship and work experience programme changed with the signing of partnership agreements with top technical universities in Cameroon in order to recruit the best students. These institutions include:

“This new focus to equip and train students from Cameroon’s top state universities will improve the quality of training and workforce available to work in the country’s oil and gas sector” explained Roger Beaumont, President General Manager of APCC.

According to the partnership agreements, the students are given the opportunity to train with different department such as Asset Management, Drilling, Exploration, Facilities, Production and Operations teams for a number of years after which the best performing could be offered a job. The institutions also benefit from the donation of equipment to help improve training.

“When I came here I did not know the different processes in exploration of oil and gas, but today I am equipped and happy to have the practical experience” said Gaspard Manga, intern from the School of Mining, University of Ngaoundere.

Mureille Sielenou, intern with the Exploration department added “What we learn in school is different from what I have learnt here. For instance how to manage administrative tasks and verify and control the work of contractors in exploration. The experience has been very beneficial!”

This internship and work experience programme is intended to help young Cameroonians get ready for the job market by providing them with the necessary skills to go about their careers. The programme has had a great impact to date as some trainees were offered jobs both at Addax Petroleum and in other reputable companies.