This year marks the fifth anniversary of Delta introducing internship scheme for Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Kenya to help in curbing the graduate unemployment situation in Africa.

A statement issued by the Delta Airlines and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Wednesday said the scheme provided 12-month contract to post-graduate students from the four countries to gain hands-on knowledge and experience of working for a multi-national company.

The programme forms part of Delta’s commitment to Africa, by helping young people from underprivileged backgrounds acquire the skills they need to get ahead in business.  Nineteen people have completed the scheme and two are currently employed at Delta. The rest have gone on to find managerial positions in a range of industries, becoming teachers or furthering their studies.

Mr Bobby Bryan, Delta’s Sales Manager for East and West Africa said: “It’s often difficult for graduates to get a break in the corporate world so offering opportunities like our intern programme can give them a real step up the ladder as well as learn about the complex nature of working for a global company.”

Mr Bryan said: “Some of our past interns have gone on to gain executive jobs in the public and private sectors. I’m very proud of their achievements and am pleased Delta has been able to play a part in their success.”

Mumbe Muthama, a former intern and now Sales Executive in Nairobi, had said: “When I started as an intern, I never thought I would have the opportunity to work for Delta after my contract ended”.

The airline flies daily to four points in Africa; Accra, Ghana, Dakar, Senegal, Johannesburg, South Africa and Lagos, Nigeria. It also has sales offices in a number of additional markets, including Kenya and Uganda. Delta Airlines serves nearly 180 million customers each year across six continents of the world and operates a mainline fleet of more than 800 aircraft.

It is headquartered in Atlanta and employs more than 80,000 employees worldwide.