Jumeirah Group Launches Training Programme To Attract UAE National Future Leaders
Jumeirah Group, the global luxury hotel company and a member of Dubai Holding, has launched an innovative new programme to train and fast track UAE Nationals to become Jumeirah’s Hotel Managers of the future.
The pioneering plan supports and encourages His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum‘s “Dubai Vision of Tourism 2020” and will help prepare Jumeirah Group for Expo 2020.
The programme offers UAE Nationals the opportunity to join a five-year fast-track plan incorporating on-the-job learning which will eventually enable them to lead a hotel team.
Jumeirah Group President and CEO Gerald Lawless said: “Jumeirah, the leading employer of UAE nationals in the hotel sector, is proud to present the UAE Future Leaders Programme, which aims to increase the number of UAE National General Managers and senior executives. This programme endorses the commitment to develop high-potential UAE Nationals into leadership positions and offer them attractive careers in Dubai’s dynamic travel, tourism and hospitality industry."
"By having more UAE national senior executives, Jumeirah and Dubai Holding support the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the targets which His Highness has set for tourism 2020.
Generation Y: More Must Be Done To Develop Young People In Work
With three million 16-24 year olds now part of the UK labour market, the development of young people within the workforce now needs to be a key area of focus for employers, so they can retain great talent and improve business performance. This is according to a new report from the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, which highlights that recruiting young people is just half of the equation and that once in work, more attention must be given to developing individuals and building the skills they need for future success.
The report, Developing the Next Generation explores this issue through a series of case studies from organisations including Fujitsu, ActionAid, CapGemini, Reed Smith and Barclays. It considers how organisations can identify the most effective learning and development (L&D) programmes for young people and the importance of outlining a clear business case for investing in their development.
The research found that a key step, but recurring challenge for organisations trying to develop young people, is establishing a clear business case. The case study organisations discussed how their development programmes for young workers have impacted significantly on the wider business, helping to drive engagement, increase efficiency and foster greater productivity.Fujitsu said that focusing on developing young people has positively impacted the wider business, both culturally and at the bottom line. By attracting a diverse range of young talent, they are starting to alter the demographic of the organisation, and are seeing improved gender diversity. By going a step further and developing young workers, retention is higher, recruitment costs have gone down and they are successfully creating a pipeline of future leaders.
Nick White, Graduate Programme Manager at Fujitsu, comments: “We can see real value in the programmes and investing time, effort and money into making the programmes work. It’s about making sure we have future leaders, and that is actually happening. Thirty per cent of those on our Future Leaders Programme started as graduates in the organisation.”
The report goes on to discuss how, once the business case is clear, L&D and HR professionals must understand the strengths, skills and learning preferences of young people. Those the CIPD interviewed flagged a preference for bite-sized learning, gaining knowledge from experience and receiving constructive feedback on actions. But although they admitted to being ‘tech-savvy’, when asked about which learning methods they disliked, the answer was unanimously ‘online training’. Organisations therefore need to be careful not to generalise or stereotype young people, as this could lead to false assumptions and ineffective development initiatives.
Ruth Stuart, Research Adviser for L&D at the CIPD, says: “With over 300,000 young people entering the workforce every year, organisations need to establish effective development opportunities from the moment they’re employed, so they can retain them and build on the unique skills they bring. To be successful though, organisations must be clear on what they are trying to achieve. It’s pointless to introduce a scheme without first considering its impact on the wider business and ensuring it fits with future resourcing needs. By providing an appealing alternative to university through their recruitment and development programmes, for example,Barclays and Capgemini have been able to tap into and retain young talent, plug significant skills gaps and achieve substantial organisational benefits. This shows just how crucial a clear business case is in achieving a quality outcome.”
On skills, the case study research highlighted that young people bring enthusiasm and drive, innovative thinking and technological understanding to the workforce. However, analysis of the literature shows that young people need to develop deeper skills in self-awareness, acceptance of criticism and emotional intelligence.
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8 | TRAINING MAGAZINE EUROPE Q3 2015