SHANNON Chamber Skillnet has launched a new Graduate Assimilation Programme to teach participants a broad range of skills to smooth their transition into the workplace.
The Graduate Assimilation programme, which has already been availed of by Jaguar Land Rover in Shannon as part of its 16-month graduate training programme, covers a broad set of soft skills.
These include: presentation skills, influencing and negotiation, effective teamwork, problem solving and project risk management, with each subject delivered as a one-day programme.
Shannon Chamber chief executive Helen Downes said: “Feedback from an annual survey we undertake to assess the training needs of our member companies has pointed to a need to give new hires training in a broader set of skills than they would have acquired when completing their primary or post-graduate qualifications.
“Companies now require their employees to have a more hybrid set of skills to interact with customers and suppliers and internally, intra departments.”
Last year, 30 graduates at Jaguar Land Rover completed the programme and this year another 25 graduates will undertake this training as part of the company’s graduate scheme.
Karen O’Halloran, human resources manager, explains: “Jaguar Land Rover has partnered with Shannon Chamber in order to deliver a bespoke graduate programme, as we feel it is important to provide our graduate employees with the necessary skills to succeed in a modern engineering work environment.
“Our graduate training programme provides a platform for career development and reflects the necessary soft and technical skills required as a graduate in our R&D centre.”
One of JLR’s company employees, Richard Taylor explains the benefits he derived from the programme: “As a software developer who participated in the training programme provided by Shannon Chamber Skillnet, the learning outcomes were highly beneficial.
“Throughout each module, I was able to identify and build upon my weaknesses and strengths and apply them on a daily basis in my role in the software R&D centre of excellence at Jaguar Land Rover Shannon.”
Ms Downes added: “Companies now regard training as a powerful tool to retain and attract talent. Whatever we can do through our Skillnet network to respond to this need serves to strengthen Shannon’s position as a location of choice for employment. We look forward to assisting member companies, through the graduate assimilation programme, with their induction activities.”
For further details, contact Shannon Chamber at 061 475854 or email [email protected].
by Kathy Masterson
