Recognizing potential in our people
In the Budapest Research & Development team we have no shortage of great people with high potential. For a long time, we have wanted to provide our people with better ways to grow professionally and accelerate their career, which was the reason we decided to launch our first talent program 8 years ago. Each year we start a new program targeting one of these complex roles that is strategically important for us.
Until now, we have had talent programs for product owners, test architects, CI/CD architects and software architects, recently with a special focus on security. Top young talents are nominated to the program by each of our departments, with management selecting those who are best placed to tackle the problem at hand.
An individualized approach to development
Each of the talents in the program are assigned a tutor and mentor. Tutors help them with their day-to-day assignments, whilst mentors are there to support in a more holistic sense, encouraging them view and tackle problems from a different or unique perspective.
Rita Bányai, Software Architect Talent program participant said: “Apart from the immensely useful training courses, the best part for me was having the opportunity to learn from my highly knowledgeable tutor and mentor. Participating in the program with a bunch of like-minded peers made it a great experience worth the effort.”
Talents are expected to demonstrate their progress monthly in a short, 5-minute demo to an audience of professionals and leaders. Several hundred participants regularly attend the program closing demo event, an excellent opportunity for exposure to different areas of the organization, practicing their presentation skills and networking with colleagues.
To bring the best out of our talents, the program incorporates a variety of learning and development tools. There are individual and group coaching events, professional and soft skills trainings, and a lab program where talents can learn how theory is implemented in practice, and how an idea becomes reality. Personalized goal setting and continuous feedback are also the cornerstones of the program’s success.
Setting up our people for long-term success
“In my experience in the talent program, I encountered inspiring colleagues and observed a significant enhancement in my soft skills, specifically in communication and presentation skills. I strongly believe that anyone who takes part in the Talent program will benefit from it.” – said Miguel Fonseca Goncalves Martinho, Software Architect Talent program participant.
Our leaders are eager for this program because it gives our talents incredible opportunities. Participants get the chance to build and extend their professional network, and learn critical skills that enables them to fulfill key roles in Ericsson later. And this ultimately is the goal of the talent program. Nurturing our young talents, building their knowledge and confidence, and channeling them into strategic roles is an essential part of our succession management, so their success is our success.