De Beers Group is strengthening its investment in the country’s human capital through a 10-year talent and citizen empowerment programme designed to address skills mismatches, develop future industry leaders and expand opportunities for citizens across the global diamond value chain.
Speaking at the ongoing Botswana Mining Show in Gaborone, Thabile Moipolai, Senior Vice President: People Partnering at De Beers Group, said the company’s approach recognises that while mineral resources create economic opportunities, a skilled workforce is essential to sustaining long-term value.
“Our minerals may open doors, but it is the skills that will keep them open,” Moipolai said, outlining the company’s commitment to developing Botswana’s talent through structured training, international exposure and leadership development.
The initiative follows an agreement signed in 2025, under which De Beers committed to delivering talent development and citizen empowerment initiatives annually over the next decade.
Moipolai identified skills mismatches and the limited capacity of micro and small enterprises to generate formal employment as key challenges facing young people in Botswana’s labour market.
She argued that expanding opportunities requires deliberate investment in skills development alongside efforts to strengthen the business sector’s capacity to create jobs.
De Beers’ strategy centres on preparing young professionals to participate in different stages of the diamond industry, including mining, manufacturing, distribution, marketing and retail.
Through internships, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) placements, university programmes and international graduate development opportunities, participants gain practical experience across the company’s global operations.
The International Graduate Development Programme, a two-year initiative, selects 10 graduates from a competitive recruitment process spanning disciplines such as business intelligence, marketing, data analytics, project management and engineering.
The scale of competition was evident in the programme’s inaugural intake, which attracted 4,685 applications. Of these, 1,500 candidates progressed through initial eligibility testing, followed by further assessments and a final selection process that identified 10 graduates.
According to Moipolai, the successful candidates emerged, highlighting the programme’s selectivity and the demand for structured career development opportunities.
The programme exposes graduates to the wider diamond value chain, with the intention of developing capabilities that can be applied to Botswana’s economy.
De Beers also works with TVET institutions and universities to provide workplace experience, while supporting lecturers and students through industry engagement and practical learning opportunities.
