EDF Energy
Graduate induction and development
For the fourth year running, Maximillion was commissioned to design, deliver and event-manage a five day graduate induction and development programme for the graduate intake of EDF Energy. The group comprised new starts from across a number of engineering disciplines.
The week started off with technical and commercial presentations, delivered by senior representatives from across the European business. The presentations introduced participants to the scheme, provided them with further insights into the organisation and outlined what was expected of them in their new roles.
This was combined with a comprehensive programme including pre-event Belbin Team Role Profiling for everyone, facilitated team development workshops, input sessions, indoor / outdoor team challenges and activities including Kinetic Connections and a specially-designed Checkpoint Challenge, daily safety messages, evening personal work and ongoing review and debrief sessions. These were delivered by members of the Maximillion Lead Facilitation team and included inputs from selected past year graduates. To ensure organisational relevance, the programme was designed around the organisation’s existing competency areas of:
- Teamwork
- Building Relationships
- Developing Self
The week culminated in personalised one-to-one review and planning sessions, where time was set aside for participants for personal reflection and where they used the facilitation team as a sounding board to plan their development.
Event Detail
- Venue: Lodore Falls Hotel, The Lake District, Cumbria
- Style: Team-based personal development
- Format: Pre-event Belbin Team Role Profiling, internal business presentations, facilitated workshops and input sessions, whole group and sub-team indoor and outdoor activities and experiences. One-to-one review and development planning sessions
- Guests: 57 participants, plus 14 managers and staff of EDF Energy
- Duration: 5 consecutive days
Objectives
- Smooth the transition from academic study into a professional workplace context
- Stimulate personal development through teamwork, collaboration & positive interaction, generating individual & team learning opportunities and creating workplace associations
- Bring the group together under a shared agenda and a set of common goals and organisational competences to encourage and develop leadership, communication, collaboration, creative thinking, problem solving and personal influencing skills
- Strengthen relationships in a fun, safe environment while providing a memorable experience
Programme outline
The main appeal of the programme was its diversity and its ability to provide a dynamic and engaging platform upon which the participants could:
- Explore personal strengths and development areas
- Share experiences and increase self awareness of their contribution in a team context
- Reflect on how actions and behaviours can impact on individual and team effectiveness and performance.
Outcome
The key one for all was increased self awareness of and a gauge for measuring individual performance and contribution in team-based situations. The programme provided an ideal opportunity for the newly appointed graduates to create an individual template in their real world against which their own contribution could be valued – building the bridge back to their new workplace.
Programme sponsor feedback
“It has been a pleasure working with you and the team at Maximillion. You have always delivered excellent service”
Linda Whitla – Organisational Development Manager
Participant feedback
“Everyone from Maximillion was really great and showed genuine interest in our developing ourselves.”
“It was an absolute pleasure in terms of personal development and experience. I would recommend that this is continued for new graduates.”
“It has been a good week and I enjoyed learning about myself and receiving useful feedback on how I can improve.”
“I really enjoyed the week – everyone was really good, full of energy and eager. Thanks to Lodore Falls Hotel and Maximillion.”