In an endeavour to offer graduates exposure in the workplace, Choppies has entered into a partnership with Limkokwing University that will see the school’s business graduates being given more insight in retail business environment.
On Monday, the two entities unveiled the deal paving the way for Choppies to absorb fresh completed students from Limkokwing to do internship programme across Choppies’s retail outlets countrywide. This will later expand beyond the borders.
This will cover a total of 91 graduates from Limkokwing. Another 103 from other different local universities have been engaged into similar exercise.
Speaking during the partnership launch Choppies CEO Ramachandran Ottapathu said the partnership comes at the right time when the company has opened doors to absorb graduates and train them further in the retail business environment.
He said the partnership follows the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the stakeholders recently, adding that the company is keen on forging other working relations with the university even beyond the Faculty of Business.
“Our partnerships with Limkokwing have proven to be of great significance; hence engaging into another worthwhile partnership with the university. This partnership will enable us to train and give work experience to the students who will have an opportunity of being employed in the company upon completion of the training. It is important to note that this initiative forms part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR),” he added.
He said the company has localised positions of Branch Managers, saying that all choppies stores across the country are being led by the locals in that position.
He urged the enrolled participants from Limkokwing to take the training programme seriously. The company has engaged highly successful strategist Michael Bridger to train the graduates on full time basis.
Limkokwing University Vice Chancellor Dr Gape Koboyakgosi appreciated Choppies for availing opportunities for their graduates, acknowledging that most of their graduates were already working in senior management positions in Choppies.
He is hopeful that similar partnerships with the institution will expand into other faculties, adding that the recently completed students from the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) School will be joining Choppies as well.
Dr Koboyakgosi said the partnership accords the trainees an opportunity to kick start their own enterprises upon completion, stating that they would have acquired more practical skills on how the retail business operates, hence possibly curbing on the scourge of high unemployment particularly amongst the youth.