Learning to Live the Theory
The days at university can often be long and
lazy. It’s a world within the world – where
theory, research, expounding opinions and
enjoying this special time in your life are all
that matter. The transition to the fast-paced
world outside can be a reality check.
In 2004 GHL, in keeping with its commitment to
national and regional development through
education and continuous learning, developed a
Graduate Work Intern (GWI) programme for
university graduates.
Typically, our GWIs are graduates who have
completed an undergraduate degree with at least
an upper second class honours, in the areas of
Management, Finance and Accounting, Actuarial,
Marketing and Sales, Communications, Human
Resources, Computer Science and Law. They should
have no more than one year’s working experience.
Keston Nancoo, Vice President, Human Resources,
says the programme sets out to bridge the gap
between university and the workplace by
affording graduates the opportunity to apply
academic knowledge in real-life situations. It
is also intended to expose graduates to the GHL
Group through a process of rotation throughout
companies for the first three months. Graduates
are then assigned to the department of his/her
discipline for the next nine months. GHL’s work
interns therefore gain invaluable experience in
their area of expertise and, in turn, add value
by ensuring that the Group has an ongoing source
of new knowledge, ideas and creativity that can
be used in the work processes. GWIs are mentored
by a member of the Executive team.
Valiesha Sookdar is a former GWI who still works
with the Group: “the Programme gave me
cross-company awareness and networking that
assisted my career development. I got the
opportunity to work alongside industry experts
and the three month rotation allowed me to gain
an understanding of the functional areas of the
company. Graduating from University is an
exciting yet frightening time and programmes
such as these make the transition to the world
of work a little easier, while giving you the
necessary tools and experience to advance.” |
