TotalEnergies is expanding youth training, graduate development and entrepreneurship programmes across East Africa as it builds a local workforce for an energy business that spans oil and gas as well as solar, LPG and electric mobility. In Uganda, the company has linked its skills programmes to the Tilenga oil project, while in Tanzania its work around the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) has included student conferences, career fairs and entrepreneurship sessions. The approach reflects a broader effort to develop technical and commercial skills locally as the region’s energy sector expands.
In Uganda, the Tilenga Academy has trained hundreds of young Ugandans in technical skills required for the project’s production phase. Training has included programmes lasting around two and a half years, combining instruction at the Uganda Petroleum Institute Kigumba and other training centres with practical experience during project installation and commissioning. The company says the internationally recognised certifications are intended to improve employability both within Tilenga and across the wider energy industry.
The focus extends beyond oil and gas. TotalEnergies has highlighted investments in solar PV, hydropower, LPG and e-mobility in Uganda, including plans for about 40 MW of solar projects that are expected to create technical employment opportunities. Its Young Graduate Programme, which has operated in Africa since 2014, also provides about 80 young African graduates each year with an 18-month rotational development programme across different functions and countries. This creates a talent pipeline that can serve both existing hydrocarbon operations and newer energy businesses.
In Tanzania, EACOP and TotalEnergies have used youth conferences to connect students with the wider energy value chain. More than 200 students attended the fourth Students’ Conference on Youth in the Energy Sector in Arusha in May 2026, where discussions covered careers, entrepreneurship, local procurement, access to finance and opportunities for small businesses. A career fair also introduced students to graduate programmes and professional development opportunities, while sessions highlighted the potential for young people to participate as contractors, suppliers and entrepreneurs rather than only as employees.
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The larger issue is whether these programmes can translate major energy investments into lasting local capability. Large projects require engineers, technicians, operators, commercial specialists and suppliers long after construction is complete, while the expansion of solar, LPG and e-mobility creates additional demand for specialised skills. For TotalEnergies, building that capacity provides a deeper local workforce for its East African portfolio; for the region, the value will ultimately depend on how many of those trained young people move into productive jobs, businesses and energy pr
