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 John
Podraza 
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When John Podraza goes recruiting at the University of Houston, he’s looking for special international students – ones who want to work in their home countries. He is Africa Group Controller for ExxonMobil Production Company and an accounting alumnus of the University of Houston Bauer College of Business. “Our mission is to find students that are already here in the USA on education visas,” explains Podraza. “Our recruiters scour the country looking for foreign students planning to return home after graduation,” says Podraza. ExxonMobil college recruiters across the U.S. pass him names of students from the five countries in his region - Nigeria, Angola, Chad, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea. “A few years ago we found a number of Angolans and Equatorial Guineans in various universities in the U.S. and offered them scholarships to finish their education at the University of Houston’s Bauer College of Business,” he explains. “Our strategy is a win-win situation for the student and for ExxonMobil.” Podraza says, “When we recruit at the University of Houston, we usually start with a visit to the Career Services Center and review the list of international students. We're primarily looking for accounting and finance majors with work experience and demonstrated leadership skills, just as we do for our U.S. hires. The one big difference is there are a lot of students who want to go back home when they graduate. In many cases, we offer just what they're looking for. Our strategy is a win-win situation for the student and for ExxonMobil. We are able to staff our key Controller's positions with qualified nationals versus U.S. expatriates who are more costly due to incremental costs and living allowances.” Gerald McElvy, General Auditor, ExxonMobil and also a University of Houston Alumnus, was among the initial champions of this program. Because of the Bauer College of Business’ excellent accounting program and a highly diverse student population, he believed that it was the perfect incubator for foreign talent. He promoted the idea of gathering qualified African nationals from around the U.S. and educating them at the University of Houston. The students improve their language skills, and gain an understanding of ExxonMobil's corporate culture. ExxonMobil benefits from the students’ increased knowledge and familiarity with U.S. business practices. “We have been waiting to confirm whether the UH program was the right pipeline, and it looks as though it is a success. "For those students selected into the program, ExxonMobil pays education and living expenses but the students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average. The Company takes an interest in the students progress while in school and looks for opportunities to bring them together with ExxonMobil employees especially those who may be from their own countries. Podraza explains, “We occasionally take a small group of scholarship students, ExxonMobil employees and foreign nationals already working at the Houston office to home UH football games. We always have a good time enjoying the game while also getting to know each other better." Over this past summer, three of the Angola students received their
UH degrees and returned to Luanda, Angola to begin their careers
with ExxonMobil. “Within weeks of their arrival on the job,
our UH accounting graduates were receiving excellent feedback from
local management. We are very pleased with their progress thus
far. We have been waiting to confirm whether the UH program was
the right pipeline, and it looks as though it is a success. Once
in the door, our next objective for these new employees is to progress
them through a series of development assignments to where they
can operate self-sufficiently and assume management responsibility,” he
adds. |
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Angola is sub-Saharan Africa’s second largest oil producer behind Nigeria. Its economy is highly dependent on the oil sector which accounts for about half of the country’s Gross Domestic Product and over 90% of export revenues. Angola is also the site of a twenty-seven year civil war - the longest running conflict in Africa’s post-colonial era. In the chaos of war, Angola’s education system deteriorated profoundly. Only last year, peace was established and Angola began the slow process of putting itself back together again. Podraza describes his first visit last year to Angola. “Before I went I was expecting to see a country with neglected infrastructure and poverty as a result of years of civil war. I was pleasantly surprised by the lively atmosphere in Luanda. It gave an impression of a city on the rise. The architecture of many of the old buildings had a European feel to it and had a lot of character. Luanda is a coastal city and the ocean water was blue and beautiful. However, the country is challenged by the effects of widespread malaria and the living conditions are obviously much tougher than in the U.S." “Programs like the one with the Bauer College will play a role in creating strong leadership for ExxonMobil...” “ExxonMobil’s model will help put educated nationals into the community,” notes Podraza. “The students in our program will raise the bar for their fellow Angolans. Their employment with ExxonMobil will help stimulate the local economy. Future oil revenues should provide timely and needed improvements to the city's infrastructure. Luanda is a beautiful city and its future has great promise. Programs like the one we set in motion with the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston will play a role in creating strong leadership for ExxonMobil in these countries." |
Marizete
de Brito |
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