Global energy technology leader, Schneider Electric, has restated its commitment to complementing the efforts of the Federal Government in the area of job creation by building future work-ready engineers in Africa.
As a practical demonstration of this commitment, the company has launched its Advancing Energy Tech mentorship programme in Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa pairing electrical engineering students with company mentors as they transition from university into the energy and technology industries.
In Nigeria, the programme has taken root at the University of Ibadan (UI) and the Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), Lagos where students are matched one-on-one with Schneider Electric engineers for hands-on guidance rarely available inside a classroom.
This initiative is significant if the report of the State of the Nigerian Youth Report 2025, released by Plan International Nigeria and ActionAid Nigeria in Abuja, is anything to go by.
The report had put youth unemployment at 53per cent, with more than 80 million young Nigerians out of work. The picture is echoed globally as the Cengage Group’s 2025 Graduate Employability Report found that only 30per cent of that year’s graduates secured full-time work related to their degree, and among the nearly half who felt unprepared to even apply for entry-level roles, more than half pointed to missing job-specific skills, not missing credentials, as the real barrier.
It is precisely that gap Schneider Electric is betting the mentorship can close.
Commenting on the initiative, Access to Education Program Coordinator, West Africa, Funmilayo Olakitan, said: “As an Impact Company, we believe performance and purpose go hand in hand. With an inclusive culture at our core, we empower everyone to play a part in building a more sustainable and resilient future. By linking students with industry professionals, we’re building a stronger bridge between education and employment. The future of energy depends on the skills and ideas of young engineers, and we want to support their journey.”
The Advancing Energy Tech initiative sits under VolunteerIn, the Schneider Electric Foundation’s global platform for employee-led giving and skills-based volunteering. Participating institutions nominate students most likely to benefit, and the company matches each one with a mentor suited to their interests and career goals. Because every mentor is a working Schneider Electric engineer, students hear directly from professionals living the realities of the industry, not textbook theory.
The programme opens with a group kick-off session, in person or virtual, before settling into six months of one-on-one mentorship, guided by a formal mentorship framework. Along the way, mentees move from theory to application: navigating cross-functional teams, engineering standards and compliance, and professional workplace conduct. The programme pushes further still, sharpening students’ read on the industry landscape, helping them identify target employers and the skills those employers want, and building out their professional network, personal brand, and elevator pitch well before graduation.
That philosophy runs through VolunteerIn itself, a platform built to give Schneider Electric employees room to keep learning and upskilling while giving back through mentoring, training, and other hands-on initiatives.
Launched in May and running through October, the six-month cohort is already delivering results, students and mentors alike report real, tangible progress.
Mentee, Onisobuana Osuamkpe felt the shift firsthand: “The most valuable takeaway has been gaining a much deeper understanding of the professional workspace, and how to navigate real-world engineering environments effectively. I have made the most significant progress in improving my communication skills and in polishing my professional profile, including upgrading my CV to better reflect my skills and readiness for job opportunities. My mentor provided guidance on how modern engineering workspaces operate and advised me on structuring my professional documents. The guidance from experienced mentors provides practical insight into how the industry works, helping you build professional skills, communicate effectively, and prepare for your career. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Schneider Electric, my mentor, and the team behind this programme for this opportunity to learn.”
On the mentor side, Innocent Ugwu has watched the change unfold too: “Since the mentorship began, I have observed real improvement in my mentee’s engagement and development. The most rewarding aspect has been helping him understand the importance of being proactive, both personally and professionally. I believe the mentorship has positively shaped his growth by reinforcing the value of taking initiative, being proactive, and working effectively as part of a team.”
As youth unemployment across the continent continues to outpace the supply of industry-ready graduates, Schneider Electric is positioning mentorship as a leverage, pairing its own engineers with the next generation building Africa’s energy future.
