Veolia Water Graduate programme

 

The Brief: Running a rotational graduate programme to develop veolia’s future leaders.

I worked as the Talent Manager for four years at Veolia Water UK, the umbrella for a portfolio of commercial water management and treatment contracts across the UK.

As the Graduate Programme Manager, I was in charge of the recruitment and end-to-end management of the graduates. My role was to ensure that the Graduates developed through varied 6-month placements and a leadership development programme, enabling them to secure a role at the end of the programme.

 

The programme

The graduates had a different placement every 6 months so that they could learn about a new function and be fully involved in a project. Most of the graduates changed locations at each placement, enabling them to explore a different environment and work culture. At the end of each placement, the graduates had the opportunity to present their experiences and recommendations to a panel of business leaders.

The development programme started with an induction that enabled the graduates to learn more about the company and its functions whilst developing a strong team spirit. Throughout the programme, the graduates met every 6 months for action learning sets and development workshops to empower them to grow further. The development programme focused on core soft skills and leadership style.

Each graduate was mentored by a business manager and received ongoing support and coaching from the Graduate Programme Manager.

 

Feedback

"I have had the chance to work with Catherine for nearly two years as a graduate and I can safely say that I am very pleased with our collaboration. The graduate scheme is sometimes challenging and Catherine has always supported me and helped me improve my performance. More than a Graduate Programme Manager she has also been a coach, helping me in tough situations! Positivity, diplomacy and professionalism are attributes that enabled Catherine to become an appreciated and well-respected GPM in the business and I am very grateful for the time we worked together."

Ouissem Belgacem | Veolia Graduate, 2011-2013