The maiden edition of the Lexta Internship Programme has successfully trained four marketing students from some of the leading tertiary institutions in Ghana.

Launched in May 2017, the programme seeks to give selected undergraduates an opportunity to gain practical experience in the job market.

Out of the many applications received from undergraduate students across the country, eight students from Ashesi University, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University of Professional Studies (UPSA), and Valley View University (VVU) were selected to take the assessment test.

Four students; Emmanuel Quaye and Maria Siafa Antonia Mueba from Valley View University, Solomon Quaynor from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Prudent Denyo from the University of Professional Studies (UPSA) were selected to join the company for the first ever Lexta Internship Programme.

During their three-month stay with the company, the interns engaged in several activities to gain knowledge in customer service, relationship management, market data collection, report writing, and direct sales.

The Lexta Internship Programme seeks to contribute to bridging the gap between academia and industry by offering young people the opportunity to learn valuable skills and put to use the knowledge they are acquiring in the classroom.

Explaining the reason for instituting the programme, Head of Human Resource and Administration for Lexta, Mrs. Ohenewaa Osei Pipim said: “We believe in having the right team because our people are the driving force for the business. We also believe that talents can be enhanced and the best time to build the desired culture in ‘future employees’ is now, when they are eager to learn and open to new ideas and experiences. We believe the practical experience gained will give them a better appreciation of what they are studying.”

She commended the interns for being open minded and for exhibiting the willingness and eagerness to learn and make meaningful contributions.

On his part, Head of Sales and Marketing, Mr. Seth Ntiamoah-Asare congratulated the interns for successfully completing the programme and for the fresh perspectives they brought on board during the period.

“It was a well-structured and intensive programme and they were made to experience all that there is in exposing them to industry. I am confident that this will set them on a successful path in the field of Sales and Marketing,” he remarked.

Summing up his experience throughout the period, Emmanuel Quaye of Valley View University said: “My general expectation was to have a hands-on experience and I had that here at Lexta during my stay. It was an eye opener and a great experience for me. I have learnt a lot and what I can say is thank you to all the Line Managers for their willingness to assist us when we needed the help. They’ve been a big inspiration to us.  After my three-month stay, I can confidently say it was worth it.”

Next year, the Lexta Internship Programme would be expanded to include more tertiary institutions to give more undergraduates the opportunity to build solid business skills across the different fields in the organization.

The company is set to expand within the West African sub-region and will extend this programme accordingly, to enable students gain international working experience.