Firm’s plan to tap young talents
Many young graduates are at a loss when it comes to choosing the right degree programme and career.
MANY young graduates are at a loss when it comes to choosing the right degree programme and career.
They have no idea what they actually want and eventually pursue courses that their parents want them to do, says Heineken Malaysia Bhd human resource director Lim KwanSek.
He adds that there’s nothing wrong in doing so, as young people are sometimes undecided and unable to choose their career path.
Lim points out that fresh graduates can also get broad or specific advice when entering the labour market today such as Heineken’s Asia Pacific Graduate Programme (APGP).
It is one of the structured programmes offered by the company to groom talents to take on the challenging and exciting roles in the company.
The two-year programme is catered to young talents to help them discover their inner strengths and skills in their areas of interest, he says.
They will be given different roles in different departments, each lasting approximately six months, Lim says, adding that the exposure will make them better leaders.
The Asia Pacific region is the fastest growing market for Heineken and the programme will have the trainees travelling in the region during the two years.
“They will go through four rotations, each being six months long, with opportunities to be exposed to a multi-functional role,” he reiterates, adding that while the first and last rotation will be in Malaysia, the rest will be elsewhere.
Heineken is a multinational company and that means travel is a must for its employees, regardless of their discipline, says Lim.
“This programme shapes their careers and they get to learn from our talented managers.”
Those under the APGP will be exposed to the many departments within the company which Lim says provides the perfect platform for those who are keen to learn about the other business functions within the organisation.
“The selection process is stringent and the development of the trainees is carefully tracked during the 24-month period ... our expectations are very high,” he adds.
“We have invested so much into coaching and allowing them access to regional heads,” says Lim.
“We also have a supply chain trainee programme for those coming straight out of university,” he says, adding that their lack of experience in the working world requires them to undergo more training.
Securing a spot in the APGP is tough and only five will be selected for the 2018 batch.
However, Lim explains that if there is someone outstanding among the pool of candidates, the company will not hesitate to employ them.
For those wanting to join the APGP, Lim suggests that candidates get down to the basics .
“Research the company as candidates need to understand and know the products.”
He also says that posts on social media will be scrutinised by employers which is why candidates should be mindful of what they say through such channels.
“Social media platforms are often viewed by many, including human resource personnel, who will look at what you post publicly.
“From the moment we bring in new employees, with experience or otherwise, we need to “build and get them ready to meet our expectations,” he adds.
“People really are at the heart of our company and we provide holistic development for them.”
“You need a lot of energy, be able to connect with people and engage openly when you work here,” he says.
Lim adds that the focus is on sharing opinions to drive innovation and to learn more on what can be improved.
“Transparency is a big thing in our working culture.
“Even those in more junior roles are expected to contribute in the decision-making process.”
“Heineken Malaysia has a wide spectrum of careers.”
The company has around 560 employees in Malaysia, most of whom are in sales, followed by those in the supply chain.
“We also have vacancies in finance, marketing, human resource, IT, as well as in legal and corporate affairs, ” he adds.
For those already in the company, Lim says the company focuses on holistic development which includes personal coaching and mentoring and high level leadership programmes which sees the company’s talents travelling across the Asia Pacific region.
Besides learning on the job, there are also classroom programmes and Heineken One2Learn, its learning portal.
The company spent about RM1.5mil for talent development in 2016, says Lim but this does not include the personal coaching and mentoring.
The real investment is in the people, he adds.
“When you join Heineken Malaysia, it’s about having an amazing personal and professional experience.”
The applications for the APGP 2018 opens in October. For more information, visit http://careers.