The HR team picking up the Best Graduate Development Programme award from left to right Dani Pepper, Greg Turrell, Masa Sugihara, Paula Henriques and Cherie McAllister.
T&G Global’s human resources team has scooped the 2018 New Zealand Association of Graduate Employers (NZAGE) ‘Best Graduate Development Programme’ award, edging out industry the Ministry of Primary Industries, Xero and Beca.
Initiated just two years ago, the T&G graduate programme was a finalist in the same awards last year. From February, the company will have 16 graduates within its New Zealand business.
The judges say they were impressed by T&G’s inclusive approach to designing a graduate programme that sought input from leaders, younger members of the team, and different regions. They noted T&G’s use of classroom and on-the-job training and the approach to measuring effectiveness.
Paula Henriques, who heads T&G’s recruitment team, says the objective was to build a signature experience, with minimal rotation, allowing graduates to build their career based on their core interests rather than rotating them around the business like some companies do.
“We wrap around strong support including technical and ‘on the job’ training along with “softer”, but equally important skills, such as communication and personal development courses. They are also assigned a mentor, get a deep dive into the business through an induction course and spend time with our executive team,” she says.
The programme is hitting the mark with graduates as having low absenteeism, good performance ratings and several promotions within the company.
“We are thrilled to have been recognised at the highest level by these awards given the calibre of the other finalists,” Paula says.
For more information on T&G’s graduate programme click here.
