Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Seven years ago, Brian Kuloba, our Senior Accounts Manager at WTS Energy Kenya, wrote an insightful article on our company’s early steps in East Africa. Since then, WTS Energy Kenya has seen an unprecedented growth in its operations, workforce and reach. As an example, most recently we opened in Rwanda. Today, we return with an update from Brian, showcasing our expanded capabilities and impact in this developing market.
Redaction by Brian Kuloba.
Ever since I became a dad, witnessing my child grow has been an incredible journey. Each milestone, from those first wobbly steps to the joyful babble of early words, isn’t just a fleeting moment—it’s a testament to the continuous development and learning that fuels a child’s journey to reach their full potential.
Similarly, I’ve witnessed WTS Energy evolve in the dynamic East African landscape. Those initial steps we took entering this region years ago paved the way for remarkable achievements. We’ve learned, adapted, and constantly sought new avenues to strengthen our capabilities and expand our reach. Just like a child, WTS Energy has embraced growth. And in this article, I’m excited to share this journey with you.
How WTS Energy entered East Africa
Part of growing is pivoting to new areas. WTS Energy in East Africa has done just that in the last couple of years through diversifying our services as well as venturing into new industries within the energy spectrum.
We entered East Africa in 2015 as a recruitment organization focused on energy. This entry has been the backbone of our growth in the sector. As an organization, we firmly believe that having the right people is fundamental to the success of delivery of any project in any industry. Our ability to identify the right talent for our client translated well to WTS identifying our own team for the fulfillment of our services.
Our service expansion across the energy sector
We first entered the East African market through recruitment services. Since then, we have evolved. Now, we are a service organization providing people solutions through various service lines:
- Training and Capacity Building Services
Our global roots are in the oil and gas industry. This sector was also our entry point into the East African market. It has been a joy for WTS to venture into the wider energy space, as has the region.
The oil and gas industry in East Africa was ignited with the discovery of oil and gas reserves across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, to add to what was already known of Mozambique. The identification and deployment of talent in the industry was challenging but not insurmountable. WTS proudly delivered both recruitment and manpower services in Northern Kenya in the height of the exploration activities. Bringing, and localizing, our global expertise helped us to find and mobilize both Nationals and Locals in the region to the exploration sites.
Partner with us for tailored staffing solutions
Whether you need expert project management, skilled manpower, or specialized training and recruitment, WTS Energy is here to support your growth. Let’s work together to drive the energy sector forward in East Africa and beyond. Contact us today to explore how we can meet your needs.
WTS Energy’s role in accelerating the energy transition in East Africa
Following a shift in the oil and gas industry in Kenya, WTS Energy opted to expand our services to the wider energy sector. We began delivering project management services in Northern Kenya. Our first venture into delivering project management services in the region occurred when we were contracted to offer repair and maintenance services for assets of a power producer in Kenya. Acting as a subcontractor to the manufacturer, we gained an initial foothold in renewable energy. We identified technically skilled local talent, enhanced their skills through further training, and deployed them to the client site.
Ensuring optimal uptime of our client’s assets has been key to our ongoing business partnership with them. Constant engagement with the team and our client has been paramount in the success of our service delivery and the safety of all involved.
WTS Energy training centers and global opportunities
This engagement helped us see the value of having the right people on every project. We also understood the importance of upscaling talent to support both the project and the team. With this in mind, we partnered with a European development body to upscale a training facility to offer renewable energy focused training. Together with Kenya’s national institute, we developed a practical solar training program. This program allowed us to train and upscale 150 solar technicians. Our aim was to ensure enhancement of skills which would translate to more job opportunities for the attendees as well as giving them an avenue to increase their income levels. One of the successes of this program was the deployment of three (3) of the trainees to our client’s project in Netherlands, which is a testament of our global reach.
Pioneering sustainable fuel projects
This same global reach and partnership laid the foundation for one of our recent ventures in the renewable energy space. We are collaborating with a global energy client to support the operation and maintenance of their assets in Kenya. Sustainable fuel is paramount to the reduction of the effects of carbon in our atmosphere and our client’s bio fuels project is the first of its scale in the region. This project pioneers the extraction and refinement of vegetable oil from seeds in semi-arid areas to produce biodiesel. Our involvement in identifying the right team to ensure 24/7 uptime of our client sites has been a fulfilling journey. And we believe plays a significant part in attaining the global SDG goals.
WTS Energy’s commitment to East Africa
From our first wobbly steps of entering the East African seen in 2015 to confidently walking into the wider energy sector by casting our net in various renewable energy projects, we firmly believe that all we have achieved wouldn’t have been possible without the right team.
Our success over the years as a people service solution provider has been driven by our ability to identify and invest in a talented team for both us and our clients. With strong roots in East Africa, we have now established an office in Kigali, Rwanda. We are looking forward to another decade of working with our clients in the region in ensuring the energy sector remains vibrant through talent management.
