Harvesting skills in the youth.

Investing in the youth of South Africa is one of the wisest moves any individual or company can make to ensure a better tomorrow.

With the South African Breweries (SAB) Graduate Programme we can implement our commitments to South Africa’s national skills development agenda, by focusing on talent development initiatives.

 

Kick-starting careers with the SAB Graduate Programme

Graduates looking for work tend to fall into a catch-22 situation: no experience, no job - but with no job comes no experience. The SAB Graduate Programmes aim to fill this gap and give graduates the opportunity to grow and learn while working, and in return, SAB can work towards the goal of creating 10 000 jobs during the next five years.

The programme is rotational, as graduates gain experience in several areas of the business, the country and other AB InBev operations in Africa.

“By nurturing young future leaders, we are making a sustainable impact in the lives of youths who struggle to get their foot in the door of many corporates.” - Lucia Swartz, VP People, SAB and AB InBev Africa.

 

Here for the beer (and career)

We caught up, and posed a few questions, with five trainees who recently completed the graduate programme and have taken full employment at SAB.

 

Bianca Dewal

Bianca Dewlal graduated from the University of Johannesburg with a BSc. Honours Degree in Environmental Science and Geography and is currently working towards her Masters. She appreciates good sushi, loves anime, and values giving back where she can. She applied for the programme because she wanted to immerse herself in the field of corporate sustainability, and in particular within the Procurement Department. 

What is the most important value you’re working towards?

“I am committed to changing poverty in S.A. People are at the forefront of environmental change and they are therefore key drivers in the transition to sustainable development. Upskilling and empowering people, especially those from previously disadvantaged societies, is fundamental to alleviating poverty.”

Where do you want to be in the next three years?

“In three years’ time, I would like to be seen as someone with deeper expertise in the sustainability sector, and I know that’s something that I’ll have an opportunity to do at SAB. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some amazing managers and so, developing into a great manager myself, is something I’m really excited about.”

 

Reece Martin

Reece Martin studied for a LLB (Bachelor of Law) at the University of Witwatersrand. He’s a huge foodie and enjoys going to new restaurants around Johannesburg or trying out different recipes at home. He loves travelling and one of the most interesting places he keeps close to his heart is the Galapagos Islands. Alongside the cookbooks and travel guides, he loves reading books relating to professional skills development such as business analysis and project management.

Which one of the SAB sustainability goals do you feel most passionate about?

“Our company’s commitment to the Smart Drinking arm of the Sustainability Goals really resonates with the work I currently do. I believe it is of paramount importance that SAB continues its endeavours to curb the harmful effects of irresponsible drinking by leading the conversation through advertising and its corporate social responsibility campaigns, on responsible drinking culture.”

What is your advice to future graduates?

“Your degree doesn’t define your career path. My advice would be to grab whatever opportunity presents itself (and there are tons!) and use the skills you have learnt in your three or four years of studying to grow and develop as an inspiring graduate. Good luck!”

 

Wendy Simunyu

Wendy Simunyu studied Social Work & Psychology. She enjoys a strong cup of coffee and a good documentary. She applied for the programme because she wanted to use her Social Work skills to enhance human well-being through a reputable corporate company.

What did your role entail as a trainee?

“More than anything, my role entailed learning as much as I could about the business through carrying out tasks for our Legal and Corporate Affairs Department, in preparation for my permanent position. To be effective in my role I needed to learn the various areas of the business and their function. The day-to-day aspects took this into consideration and therefore focused on me getting to know the intricacies of the business. This prepared me for my permanent role in the business.

What does “Here for the Beer” mean to you?

“Our core business is brewing great beer that allows us to create positive experiences for our consumers.”

 

Amy Kriedemann

Amy Kriedemann studied for a Bachelor of Law degree at Stellenbosch University. She joined the programme because she was drawn to the way in which SAB and AB InBev seeks to make a positive impact on the environment and the communities of South Africa.

How did you contribute towards the growth of the business?

“During my time at the company, I have worked predominantly in the enterprise development team, which contributes to SAB’s commitment to job creation through the development of small businesses for growth and scalability.” 

What was the most important thing you’ve learnt from the programme?

“I have learnt so much in both a personal and professional capacity. For me, the most important thing was that even in a company as large and global as SAB and AB InBev, youth or lack of experience is never an excuse not to voice your opinion. You always have an opportunity to be heard; the only thing which can invalidate your opinion is the lack of belief in yourself.”

 

Khensane Nkomo

Khensane Nkomo is a Transformation and Integration Specialist for Zone Africa in the Corporate Affairs function. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Marketing and Business Finance from Wits University, as well as an Honours degree in Marketing.

She applied for the graduate programme because of the exposure that it allowed into various business functions and the dynamics thereof. She enjoys attending music concerts and festivals, reading, trying new food, collecting earrings and contemplating why society is the way it is.

How did you contribute towards the growth of the business?

“During my country rotation in Zambia, I proposed that Zambian Breweries implement a price ladder for their core brands and proved that this would result in increased net revenue, volume and MACO/Hl. I also got involved in a CSI project through SAB for Good, which involved assisting an NPO to set up a micro-franchise of early development centres around its community.”

What did your role entail as a trainee?

“The Global Management Trainee Programme is a rotational traineeship, which involves deep diving into the four main functions of the business: Supply (6 weeks), Sales (6 weeks), Solutions (2 weeks) and Marketing (6 weeks). At the end of each rotation, we were given a business improvement project, which we presented to top management in each function.”

What is your advice for future graduates?

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Your biggest downfall is thinking that you know and that you can do it all. Get to know your stakeholders and communicate with them on a regular basis and always make sure you highlight your challenges and solutions. It’s definitely something I could have done more of as a trainee.”

 

Are you ready to accept the challenge to join us?

We offer a Global Management Trainee Programme that will help you develop and accelerate your career at one of the world's most successful organisations.

At AB InBev, we believe in investing in our future leaders today. The Global Management Trainee program is an intensive 10-month rotational training program which attracts the brightest, most driven graduates and nurtures their talent by giving relevant experiences right from the start.

If you think you've got what it takes to join our 2019 Global Management Trainee Program, don't delay, apply today!

For more information on our GMT Programme visit: http://abinbevafricagraduates.com/