Applying training at Wipro

Wipro is not about to change the legend at the bottom of its logo from 'applying thought' to 'applying training' but it could well have done so. Training is increasingly becoming critical for Wipro.

This is because of two reasons. One, it is transforming itself from being fueled by contract-based work to one that is driven by consulting initiatives.

Two, it is recruiting at such a phenomenal pace that training those large numbers of fresh recruits or those with very little experience is becoming a key exercise.

In consulting there is a dual emphasis. The top down emphasis has followed the acquisition of AMS whereas the bottom up initiative has come through the "power consulting" programme. Through the latter Wipro is teaching its staff to identify business problems, define them and then design, implement and manage solutions for them.

Wipro's pure play consulting unit is now about 200-strong. Of this, nearly 120 people came in after the AMS acquisition. They hand-hold their clients right from the beginning.

But there are another 200 people who are "sprinkled" across the organisation. These make up the industry aligned consulting segment whose services are need-based.

According to Bijay Sahoo, vice president (talent engagement and development), Wipro Technologies, "We are at the crossroads. We are finding a need to move from contract-based software development work to consulting-based work."

To deliver this, Wipro has sprinkled its campuses with 110 trainers with an average training experience of over five years. These include six doctorates along with two in behavioral areas who have published over 20 papers in the last 12 months.

Sahoo feels that since training is rated highly even by prospective candidates when asked about their reason to join Wipro, it also serves as the best talent retention solution. The Wipro Academy of Software Excellence will be churning out its fifth batch of graduates this year.

This "learn while you earn" concept ensure that those who missed out on doing engineering and with over 70 per cent marks in their BSc, get a second chance to fulfill their dreams of being in the software industry.

A candidate will work at Wipro, while he is being taught by the faculty of BITS, Pilani. On completion of four years, they not only get a certificate from Pilani, but are also absorbed permanently by Wipro.

Wipro is currently 33,000-strong with people from 23 different nationalities. The company is hiring at the rate of 1,000-1,200 employees per month and talent transformation constitutes an integral part of the learning curve. These exercises are aimed at providing a clear perspective to employees' interests by mapping their career path.

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Consultants all

• Co. becoming a consultancy-based organisation
• Second chance to youngsters to become engineers
• Over 100 trainers sprinkled around campuses