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US talent wanted for boom time Africa

Africa is bucking the economic trend experienced by many western economies. Companies operating on the continent are now looking to recruit US based African professionals with the skills and experience that can help them maintain growth.

Leading African firms are offering new opportunities to US based African professionals disillusioned by the restrictions of the ongoing credit crunch, with the promise of new and exciting careers in growing African economies.

Africa is bucking the economic trend experienced by many western economies with the World Bank reporting job increases of 21% across the continent compared to just 4% in the US and Western Europe. Sub Saharan Africa has performed particularly well in recent years with overall GDP growth for the region hitting 6.1% in 2007.

Oil and Gas continues to be a boom industry in countries such as Nigeria and Angola with exports rising by 8% last year. There have also been robust advances in the African Telecoms industry, which has doubled in size in the last three years, while Finance and Banking has benefited from a period of consolidation.

The challenge now facing Africa is maintaining this level of growth with many companies now looking overseas to recruit Africans with the international experience and skills that can help them continue the positive strides taken in recent years.

Central to this surge in international African recruitment is Global Career Company, whose Careers in Africa Recruitment Summits have been helping companies recruit top international talent back into Africa for a number of years.

This year the US market is set to be a particular hotbed of talent and many African companies are using the Careers in Africa Recruitment Summit to help manage their recruitment challenge and deliver a strong and significant talent pipeline. The event, which will be held in Houston between 21st and 23rd November is likely to be the largest ever, hosting around 30 African companies and multinationals, including ARM Investment Managers, Cadbury, Coca Cola Sabco, GE and Total.

Rupert Adcock, Managing Director at Global Career Company said: "Our Careers in Africa Recruitment Summits have been helping African companies recruit from the US for a number of years. This year though, the market has seen the biggest swing yet; not only are there more companies looking to recruit from the region but, due to the current economic climate, there are significant increases in professionals looking to move."

Indeed, with a 20% increase in candidates expected at this years event, the appetite for a move to Africa appears to be greater than ever.

Patrick Messeng attended last years’ event and secured a job as a System Engineer with Eskom in South Africa as a result. He commented:

"Through the event I met Eskom and the opportunity to launch my career in a company that is trying to overcome a huge challenge in power generation and the supply of energy to homes and businesses across South Africa was very appealing. I have now been in South Africa for over six months and the professional development accorded to me has been invaluable for my future career."

For Patrick, Africa now provides the kind of opportunities traditionally associated with the large economies of the Western World and, as the economic slowdown in the US moves towards its third year, many more look set to follow suite.

For details on the Careers in Africa Recruitment Summit and a full list of participating companies visit >>>>

Global Career Company is an international recruitment consultancy specialising in high value recruitment services for the Africa, Asian and Eastern European markets.