I was a product of a thorough management trainee programme and till today, I am thankful that I have gone through this programme for the first 24 months of my corporate life. The first 6 months was most of the time about lectures/theory all round with mental setting by various department heads and also peers. A lot of sarcasism learned and unlearned as my mental was mould over and over again in the corporate living. Every evening I will need to sit down with my manager to have 30 minutes chat on what I have learned through the day. Then, on every Saturday (those day, we still have half day), both the manager and myself will sit in a sharing session headed by the GM on a very open manner in discussing the progress of my learning and weaknesses or problems I have discovered in the particular department. A monthly report will also need to be produced and submitted to the department head (like a thesis with recommendation on improvement)
Actually, together in the programme, there are 8 of us and we have actually assigned in pairs and then we were scheduled to attach with 6 department in 6 months. Sharing of information and learning is crucial in our group. We go breakfast, lunch and dinner (minus sleeping) together almost everyday (As our mentor had also gave us a challenge to form up a common identity for our group). In between training sessions, we were also entrusted to organise or lead the whole company on grouping activities like sport day, family day etc. We have laughters, angers, frustration, sad or belacan taste throughout the programme. However,...two of us left the company after 6 months, after they found that they do not belong to this industry (today they are successful practising lawyers). Another one, two months after that. After a year, there are only 3 left in the group.
From day one, we were also "forced" to take up professional course or get fired. Oh yes...that is the challenge. So, I took up and graduated with another degree (An Associate) after 2.5 years. (For infors...out of the 8...none except the writer) Hmmm now, I was recognised as a Chartered last year...(satisfied...)...that is probably why I was the last of the "Rising Sun" (our group's name) to move on from the company after 8.5 years, and I remembered on the advice of one of my managers (who is very well qualified), within 3 years..."you have to learn more than you can adsorb in order for you to root strongly in the career you want..."
Looking back now, it was the initial mental conditioning (foundation) that is the crux of the learning. It does make a different !
Actually, together in the programme, there are 8 of us and we have actually assigned in pairs and then we were scheduled to attach with 6 department in 6 months. Sharing of information and learning is crucial in our group. We go breakfast, lunch and dinner (minus sleeping) together almost everyday (As our mentor had also gave us a challenge to form up a common identity for our group). In between training sessions, we were also entrusted to organise or lead the whole company on grouping activities like sport day, family day etc. We have laughters, angers, frustration, sad or belacan taste throughout the programme. However,...two of us left the company after 6 months, after they found that they do not belong to this industry (today they are successful practising lawyers). Another one, two months after that. After a year, there are only 3 left in the group.
From day one, we were also "forced" to take up professional course or get fired. Oh yes...that is the challenge. So, I took up and graduated with another degree (An Associate) after 2.5 years. (For infors...out of the 8...none except the writer) Hmmm now, I was recognised as a Chartered last year...(satisfied...)...that is probably why I was the last of the "Rising Sun" (our group's name) to move on from the company after 8.5 years, and I remembered on the advice of one of my managers (who is very well qualified), within 3 years..."you have to learn more than you can adsorb in order for you to root strongly in the career you want..."
Looking back now, it was the initial mental conditioning (foundation) that is the crux of the learning. It does make a different !
