Attracting talent for 10 years

On the 7th of February 2017, the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group officially welcomed what marks its highest intake of participants to its Talent Attraction Program (TAP).

This year also marks the 10th anniversary of this development programme, which has since its inception been a great success and has proven to be a critical part of the group's purpose of “Creating a future, enhancing life” and “We Grow People”.

In celebrating its tenth anniversary, the O&L TAP programme welcomed 11 participants to its 2017 intake.

O&L Group Human Capital Director, Berthold Mukuahima said: “We never imagined that 10 years later the programme would be such a huge success. The O&L TAP is linked to a mentorship programme that serves as a support tool for the program participants.

“Each mentor is responsible for motivating, advising and guiding each participant to achieve their career and development objectives. The mentor is expected to hold the mentee's hand throughout the programme.

“The O&L Group attaches a high price tag on talent attraction and talent development, and through this, nurtures the participants into future business leaders. The program has been very successful during the past years, with a 60% retention rate.

“Candidates have already proven themselves to be successful in their development and careers, and most, if not all the TAP participants took bold stands to move the O&L Group closer to its 2019 Vision.”

O&L Executive Chairman, Sven Thieme, said: “TAP speaks directly to our purpose of 'Creating a future, enhancing life'. Education and development, especially for our young and future generations, is a critical component of living our purpose.

“Education and a conducive learning environment is one of the focus areas of the O&L Corporate Social Investment (CSI) portfolio, because we believe that investing in our children and youth, and equipping them with the tools of education is one of the key elements to a prosperous future for our nation.”

Thieme encouraged the new intake to make full use of the granted opportunity and experience. “You have endless opportunities to thrive and build yourself a great career and promising future.

“But no success story comes while you sit back and expect things to happen for you.”

Some of the current O&L senior leadership team members are former TAP participants, which, according to Mukuahima, is what makes this programme special – participants have the opportunity to build careers within the group.



successful ­participants

One such participant is Adri Erwee, currently Pick n Pay (PnP) Namibia's Human Resources Manager, who was one of the first TAP intakes in 2008.

Erwee said: “The experience has been extraordinary. I have only grown from strength to strength since joining the O&L TAP program, and today I find myself proudly part of the leadership team.”

Another TAP success story is Neville Hembapu, who was one of the 2013 intakes. He is currently a team leader, and part of management at Namibia Dairies' Superfarm at Mariental.

Hembapu said: “The simple thing to do is to grab an opportunity like this with both hands and make full use of it. As an individual you embrace your character and personality, and incorporate it with the O&L Values, which will be a magical step into the right direction.

I am truly honored and privileged to have been accepted to the TAP programme, and to be a part of the O&L team.”

According to Mukuahima, at least 44 of the 73 Namibians who so far, since its inception, completed the TAP program, have remained with the group and currently behold permanent ­positions, some of them as part of management.

The rest either went to further their studies, including abroad, while a few made way to other companies.

“Allow me to thank the O&L Group Human Capital department, under the leadership of our Group Human Capital Director, Berthold Mukuahima, and his team for a job well done with the TAP programme over the past 10 years,” Thieme concluded.

The 2017 TAP intake are as follows:

Venter Venter : Human Capital (Namibia Dairies);

Sofia Gideon: Engineering: Mech/Industrial (Namibia Breweries);

Gerrit De Vos: Engineering: Mech/Industrial (Namibia Breweries);

Taleen Kazondjian: Marketing (Namibia Breweries);

Linda Fourie: Human Capital (Namibia Breweries);

Melissa Bause: Finance (Namibia Breweries)

Petrus Mupati: Electrical Engineering, O&L Leisure;

Foibe Hakandume: Hotel Management, O&L Leisure;

Mberitjua Hange: Electrical Engineering, OLC Energy;

Saara Amakali: Human Capital, O&L Centre;

Rhoda Lambert: Marketing, Pick 'n Pay