In 2009, Odebrecht Angola’s Young Partners Program included all the major universities in that Southwest-African country for the first time, and had a surprising number of applicants – 1,345. A total of 151 young people were pre-approved and 16 began working on several projects in early 2010, including civil engineer Belter Cordeiroda Silva. “I wanted to acquire professional experience that can’t be found in books,” he says.

Odebrecht’s partnership with educational institutions affords a continuous exchange of experiences and enables students to visit the company’s projects in Angola. “Thanks to the expansion of the program, we want to be students’ first choice,” says Diana Ortiz, the company’s officer Responsible for People and Organization.

One afternoon in April, the current Young Partners and four Organization members who participated in the program in 2004 (held at Agostinho Neto University) got together in Luanda. Their meeting with the Odebrecht Informa team gave these former and new young partners an opportunity to trade information.

“We are contributing to the nation’s development by working for an Organization that values education and training,” said Agílio Campos, who joined Odebrecht as a Young Partner and is now the Equipment and Industrial Plants Manager at the Huambo and Malange projects. Young Partner Nanucha Miguel listened attentively to Agílio’s comments before observing: “Youth is the lifeblood of society.”

When enrollment begins in August 2010, the program will include educational institutions in even more Angolan cities. “Investing in young people’s professional development is a commitment that Odebrecht has undertaken with this country," says Diana Ortiz.