Transcript Graduate Development Program (GDP) & Graduate Leadership Program (GLP) UNECE HRMT Conference Budapest 5 – 7 September 2012

Graduate Development
Program (GDP)
&
Graduate Leadership Program
(GLP)
UNECE
HRMT Conference
Budapest 5 – 7 September 2012
Background
Graduate Development Program (GDP)
•ABS employs between 80 and 170 graduates each
year from over 2000 applications
•In 2012 there were 144 ABS graduates, the largest
single entry intake at any level
•ABS has a great retention rate for graduates, 94% of
the 2011 cohort (154/164)
Aims
The aims of the Graduate Development Program are to:
•transition graduates into the workforce (ABS & APS)
•rapidly build professional capacity and workplace
capability
•familiarise graduates with ABS structure and culture
•enhance statistical capability
•articulate graduate roles and responsibilities
GDP Curriculum
The curriculum is mandatory and all graduates undertake:
•a range of ABS induction material (face to face & welcome videos)
•compulsory e-learning modules
•core business programs
Graduates also take on programs relevant to their area of employment
•professional specialist programs
Three workshops are held to focus on leadership and management
skills:
•Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is used to explore
a range of ‘soft skills’ in two workshops
•Workshop 3 is career planning, image and goal setting
Successful completion
of the GDP
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Satisfactory completion of probation (3 reports over 6 months)
Absence of performance management issues
Final review of Development & Performance Agreement (June)
Completion of the mandatory GDP components
Advancement Process
• graduates are advanced to a higher pay and employment level
following successful completion of the program and a separate
performance review (October)
GDP Evaluation & Outcomes
Evaluation
•90% of graduates found the program a useful and important
introduction to the ABS
•Feedback on the quality and relevance of the curriculum training
programs was very high (most around 80% – 90%)
•94% reported that supervisors contributed to their development
Outcomes
•over 90% of graduands understand the business, the role of the
ABS and its strategic goals
•over 80% reported a good fit with the ABS and 70% that
•the ABS was the right employer for them
•94% retention rate in 2011 (95% in 2010, 87% in 2009)
Graduate Leadership Program (GLP)
Background
Graduate Leadership Program (GLP)
• ABS People Plan vision is to maximise leadership and
management capability, and to nurture high potentials
• GLP was designed to identify and accelerate the development of
the top 10% of the graduate intake
• the program requires a significant level of support and
commitment from senior ABS leaders
Aims
The aims of the Graduate Leadership Program are:
•to provide these future leaders with opportunities to rapidly grow their
careers within the ABS
•expose them to a wide range of experiences across the business and
use them to find solutions to real ABS issues
•allow the ABS to respond to workforce challenges facing the wider APS
and starting succession planning at entry level
•to strategically position the ABS for future sustainability
Graduate Leadership Program (GLP)
• 19 graduates selected for the GLP following a competitive process
(covering letter, application, referee report, inductive reasoning test)
• GLP conducted 29 August 2011 to 30 June 2012
• First time trialled in the ABS, first program of its type across
government
• Needed to develop a GLP to meet a business need and align it with
the goals of the ABS People & Capability Plans
Features of the GLP
• Orientation Day
• 3-day residential for leadership and personal development
• 7 formal training programs
• 2 rotations in corporate areas
• 9-month major ABS Work Project, working in teams of 5
• project assessment meetings
• 3 coaching sessions with an Executive Coach
• Assessed over 15 competencies leading to a formal qualification
(Adv. Dip. of Govt.)
• Senior Executive Service (SES) advocacy, support, participation &
involvement
Outcomes
• The GLP will be formally assessed by an independent reviewer in
October 2012
Anecdotal evidence to date:
• The quality of the presentations and papers on all four corporate
projects was of a very high standard and the recommendations from
each group will be progressed
• The GLP group are noticeably more confident and self assured and
they report that engagement with the SES over the program has been
very beneficial
• The rotations across the ABS were very valuable and
this widened their understanding across the ABS and also
contributed to them building strong internal networks
Questions?