TOP EMPLOYER VODACOM TANZANIA CULTIVATES FUTURE LEADERS THROUGH ITS GRADUATE PROGRAM

Vodacom Tanzania Human Resource Director, Ms Perece Kirigiti (right) handing over a completion certificate to Gervas Mfubusa, a graduate trainee from University of Dar es Salaam, one among the 10 graduates that joined Vodacom's graduate program dubbed 'Discover Graduates'. This 2 years initiative was launched to identify the future generation of company leaders by coaching and hiring best young talents fresh from universities.

Vodacom Tanzania's Graduates of the 'Discover Graduates' program cutting their cake during the celebration of the first cohort of the initiative. Discover Graduates is a 2 years program launched in July 2015 aiming at identifying the future generation company leaders by coaching and hiring the best young talents fresh from university.

Graduate trainee (GT) programmes all over the world are intended to recruit bright, young, dynamic, highly motivated individuals to join top corporates. They are structured with the intent to build the capacity of fresh graduates with the required skills, knowledge and solid foundation to become effective and responsible leaders of the future.

Unlike many other graduate programs, Vodacom Tanzania’s Graduate Programme (a Vodafone Group initiative) known as ‘Discover Graduate’, places recruited graduates at the heart of the business. The2-year program is developed to identify the future generation of Company leaders by hiring today the best young talent coming fresh out of universities. Working in partnership with leading local universities, the objective isto grow the Company talent pipeline with more diverse and challenging individuals that will drive Vodacom to the new era of telecoms.

The Discover Graduate program in Tanzania was launched in July 2015 and took on board at least 10 applicants from leading universities across the country to represent the first cohort. The program has a vigorous selection process which includes online assessments, role plays, group assessments, case study presentations and one on one interviews. Furthermore, the selection process includes an assessment of skills and knowledge of Vodacom behaviours (Customer Obsessed, Innovation Hungry, Applied Thinking, Change) to ensure the sourcing process selects candidates that fit the organization culture. Coaching and support is provided to every graduate throughout the whole experience.

The Human Resource Director, Ms Perece Kirigiti has spearheaded the growth of the program since its inception in 2015 and elaborated further on the programme. “The unique feature of our programme is that upon recruitment, the selected candidates are treated and held accountable alike other full-time employees. They are entrusted with taking charge of their career paths and with strong guidance and support from senior management team” she says, adding that the trainees are empowered through various assignments and initiatives, targeting critical areas of business at Vodacom, to accelerate their development and shape skill sets that enable them to excel in their assigned business critical projects and challenge them to think outside the box.

Another key feature of the program, is its ability to fast-track the learning experience of the graduates through its global network. After a period of two years, the graduates qualify to apply for Vodafone Group’s Columbus programme – a work abroad program that offers trainees to move beyond Tanzania’s borders into an international role that will take their career to the next level.

“High-performing discover graduate trainees at Company, have a chance to compete for a seat in the global Columbus Programme, which provides a year of international exposure very early on in their careers. We ensure that graduates are nurtured through experience, as they are entrusted with responsibilities from day one. This engages them to have a better understanding of Vodacom business areas and inspires independence fairly quickly,” she explains.

Vodacom Tanzania’s Discover Graduate programme is another component that depicts the company’s continuous stance on inclusive human values and ethics, and empowerment of its employees through career development opportunities that facilitate an early impact. “We have a strong company culture, which prides itself on developing people; it is a key cultural component for us to watch our young talent grow with pride.” Says Perece.

Gervas Mfubusa, Keisha Mushi and Amandus Madyane areUniversity of Dar es Salaam graduates that were among the first cohort of Discover Graduate trainees at Vodacom Tanzania. They were recruited based on their avid desire to take on new challenges and hunger to learn and accelerate their career paths. We asked them to tell us about the Vodacom GT programme and they were quick to share their experience as well as their key learnings.

Gervas who now works in HR department says his journey as a GT has helped him gain crucial skills “I was quite adaptable and ambitious so as to get the best out of the programme. With each task, I gained more skills and took on responsibility to make decisions that would directly and positively impact the company’s revenue,” said Gervas.

For Keisha it was not about the tasks only, rather learning from the best of the best. She had the opportunity of being mentored by a Director who she says moulded her. “As Discover Graduate Trainees, we are guided by our mentors who are Heads of Departments or Directors, we are trained to master an array of new skills that are consolidated with assigned projects that offer exposure to and engagement with senior management,” added Keisha.

On his part Amandus hails the programme for seeing the potential in fresh graduates and investing in them to bring out the best. “One great thing about Vodacom is that they focus on the skills that you bring to the table rather than how you appear physically – of course it’s important to look smart and presentable, but that is not core in the selection process,” Amandus proclaimed.

Good management and supervision are keys to success of the Discover Graduate Programme according to the trainees. Mentors cultivate a supportive working relationship with the graduate trainees, acting as a point of contact for any concerns that the trainees might have, as well as providing ongoing performance feedback.

For Gervas, his journey at Vodacom has been a learning experience. “Expectations are high and at times it can be very challenging but it is rewarding when you receive better opportunities for growth as a result.

“There is a high level of support and motivation from the Vodacom family and through the programme, and that makes you so thrilled about your career prospects,” added Keisha.

According to Amandus, Vodacom looks at young talent for inspiration to develop innovative solutions for customers. “Our opinions and recommendations really matter. Our voices don’t go unheard. We are constantly encouraged to express ourselves and dig deep to find more innovative ways to approach existing and potential obstacles.”

When asked what advice they have to offer future graduate trainees, Gervas said, “Work hard, listen to your mentors and don’t be afraid to ask questions when you’re not clear on what is required of you. Be prepared to fail at something but quickly pick yourself up and start over. Take everything in. Listen and Learn!”

Keisha added, “Always go the extra mile, absorb as much knowledge as you can, embrace opportunities that come your way and go after those that don’t. You won’t believe how far hard work and determination will take you.”

Amandus stressed the importance of maintaining humility as you climb your way up the career ladder, stating, “the Discover Graduate Programme at Vodacom is one of the best opportunities you will ever receive. Make the most it and remain humble as you work your way up. You never know who will recommend you for an opportunity of a lifetime.”

“We are at our best when you are at yours” is a shared slogan at Vodacom which best describes and emphasises the importance of a healthy workforce that sets them apart from other organizations.

“At Vodacom, you genuinely feel that you’re cared for. Your health and safety are a priority and they come first before anything else. A combination of such characteristics are what make Vodacom the Top Employer in Tanzania,” concluded Keisha Mushi.

The telecom company has won the prestigious Top Employer Africa award for 2 consecutive years, further proving that Vodacom has a special place in the hearts of its employees. As a top employer award winner,( not sure whether we can say winner as we have only been certified) Vodacom has taken great strides to attract and nurture top talent and evolved the work environment to better suit the practical needs of young professionals.

While Vodacom Tanzania Plc acknowledges that several aspects have contributed towards earning this award, the Discover Graduate Program has played a significant role in solidifying their place in the qualification benchmark.