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Stories
An ELITE partnership
- An exciting new partnership with the ELITE Program for Black Youth is taking shape at Strathcona Refinery.
- The partnership will benefit the next generation of engineers and support the refinery’s recruitment efforts.
- Imperial donated $30,000 to the ELITE program and will hire two University of Alberta engineering students for summer internships in 2025.
Stories
When David Akande arrived in Canada from Nigeria in 2006, his suitcase was filled with hope, his mind brimming with ambition, and his heart ready to embrace new possibilities.
But the path to building a career as an engineer proved far more challenging than he anticipated.
“I knew only one person who was an engineer in oil and gas,” he recalls. “I remember my peers and I were all trying to get in the industry. We didn’t have a network of mentors who could guide us through the career decisions we were about to face.”
Navigating the complexities of a new country while getting started in a new career took resilience and determination.
Today, David leads a team of engineers at Imperial’s Strathcona Refinery near Edmonton, Alberta. As Operations Support Department Leader, he oversees responsibilities in the Process Technical and Process Control/Automation areas of the refinery.
And all these years later, he’s never forgotten those early days. That’s why he took notice of a message on LinkedIn about the Experiential Learning in Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (ELITE) Program for Black Youth. ELITE was founded to create opportunities for Black youth between the ages of 15 and 22 in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.
“This post triggered my curiosity,” he says. “I lead the Black Employees Success Team, which is an employee resource group at the Strathcona Refinery – and thought the ELITE program was aligned with our objectives. So, I reached out.”
After exploratory meetings with Imperial reps and members of the ELITE team, a refinery tour for about seven students in November 2024, as well as presentations, David says there was support from all involved to start a more formal partnership.
In 2025, Imperial contributed $30,000 to the ELITE program and will hire two University of Alberta engineering students who are in the ELITE program for four-month internships this summer.
David hopes it’s the beginning of something great.
“When I started in the oil and gas industry, I was the only black engineer on site,” he says. “The goal is never to be the only one. The goal is to lift members of our community up so they can make a difference, have role models, and add value to the organization.”
Learn more about ELITE.