THEGUARDIAN - To further enhance their ability to keep up with the evolving technology in the business sector, Coca-Cola recently sponsored four students abroad for an intensive training on innovative strategic business solutions.

The initiative, known as the Global Management Challenge (GMC), through which the non-alcoholic beverage firm trains 80 students yearly, was to deliver quality education and exposure to undergraduates and other professionals who desire to build a career in business management.

The GMC competition, which was held at the University of Lagos, had Adeniyi Talabi, Oyekan Idris, Olubodun Sulaiman and Abdullahi Salimat selected among several others who participated and were sponsored to Dubai for a training to reinforce their hands-on knowledge of business management in a corporate world.

Director of Human Resources, Coca-Cola West Africa, Enitan Oyenuga who highlighted the company’s commitment to quality education through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) said: “At Coca-Cola, we believe that the right education has the potential to impact every aspect of life, so education remains central to our CSR interventions. 

“This is why we have sent the best four students from the Global Management Challenge (GMC) training, to the finals of the competition in Dubai to expand their horizons and give them further exposure to the cutting-edge technology driving the corporate world.”Sharing their experiences, the elated students who commended Coca-Cola for giving them the opportunity affirmed that they are now being equipped with the requisite skills to perform better in the planning and implementation of business decisions in the corporate world, stressing how the GMC has impacted their career.

In his remark, Adeniyi Talabi pointed out that the GMC bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical solutions in business, saying, “With the GMC, students are equipped with the right knowledge to solve practical problems in the corporate world. A perfect example is the problem of minimizing cost in business and increasing revenue. This will enable the reduction of the operational costs in the business.”

Also, Olubodun expressed optimism that with the GMC and the training received; he could work with any world-class company, stating that Coca-Cola has succeeded in changing his mindset from that of impossibilities to possibilities. “With the experience I have garnered from the GMC as a Nigerian, I can participate actively within the business world on matters that would be beyond the capability of my peers,” he said.

Recounting memories from the competition, Oyekan said, “Everything was fantastic and challenging, we learnt strategic thinking during the period of the competition, diligent and critical analysis because we needed to analyze trends and understand the market at every quarter. The competition really helped me to think outside the box,” he said.

For Salimat, the only lady among the four finalists the experience pushed her limits. She remarked, “I believe the major factors that led to my success was hard work, discipline and passion for the management profession. I am particularly thankful especially for the international exposure that the competition availed me. Networking with people from other parts of the world and learning from them as well was indeed an experience that I will forever treasure.”