The Energy Pioneers Program (‘EPP’) aims to upskill and empower the future generation of African leaders in the energy industry. To do this, designing the program required input from someone who had recently experienced this transition. The project team included me, Caitlin Naidoo a recent graduate, in every part of the process. This is what makes the internal design of the EPP unique.
The creation of the program began with the team presenting the concept of the Internship Program including proposed names, the objective and implementation strategy. The Energy Pioneers Program was named after much of its content was created as it required a massive brainstorm. We decided on ‘Energy Pioneers’ for multiple reasons. ‘A pioneer’ is a person who is among the first to explore or research an area or activity. ‘To pioneer’ is to develop or be the first to use or apply a new method or activity. Being a Pan-African Internship Program, the EPP is the first of its kind. Additionally, as an intern, candidates will be exploring the workplace for the first time. The main objectives of the Program are two-fold. Firstly, we aim to bridge the gap between academia and the workplace. Secondly, we aim to promote training and capacity building amongst corporations to keep driving the African energy industry. Included in our objectives is the promotion of gender equality and fulfilling Equal-by-30 objectives as well as Equal-Work Equal-Pay objectives. Our implementation strategy is simple. We want to collaborate with leading energy corporations in Africa and appeal to young individuals with a keen interest in the energy industry.
Being involved in the creation of the EPP, I decided to add a personal touch. I pitched the idea of an Internship Preparation Manual to the team which was well received and welcomed. The motive behind the Internship Preparation Manual is to provide guidance to candidates that I, personally, lacked. The Internship Preparation Manual is designed to assist candidates with some of the turmoil faced in completing job applications, going through the application process and the required workplace etiquette. Only shortlisted candidates will be privy to this information as part of the African Energy Chamber’s mentorship towards interns. We have identified the great benefits of imparting wisdom to interns ranging from soft skills to practical skills as well as overall support.
Working with the EPP team has been a delight. Not only was my input valued but also requested. Being hands on, on a project such as this is a privilege. The whole team has varied experiences in transitioning from institutes of higher education into the work environment and we hope that we have created an Internship Program that betters this process for young individuals across Africa.
Caitlin Naidoo
AEC Intern – EPP Coordinator
