Entering into the gates to face the new challenge, getting your ID, and swiping to enter the hallowed premises of Capgemini, I was overwhelmed with mixed emotions. The feeling of euphoria, along with the anxiousness of stepping into the corporate world was enthralling.
As I sat down with 18 other E.L.I.T.E. trainees, I could feel the high expectations of the E.L.I.T.E. core team from all of us. But then the first session by Aruna calmed the nerves. After being through with all the paperwork formalities, Aruna’s session brought us up to speed with the expectations and the idea behind the E.L.I.T.E. General Management program.
The E.L.I.T.E. Core Team had planned a number of events to smoothen our induction process. Our first dinner at Hyatt gave us an opportunity to interact with a number of people involved with the E.L.I.T.E. General Management program. This not only helped us in growing our professional network but also ensured that we know the people to reach out to when needed. The first week that ended with “scavenger hunt” around Hyderabad, gave us the opportunity to gel well with the team while exploring Hyderabad.
The sessions with Thierry (CEO, FS), Jack Dugan (Head of Insurance BU), and Amit Choudhary (CFO, FS) opened up the world of Capgemini to us. The core values of Capgemini are the part of the leaders’ persona. The sessions not only enlightened us on the path that the Financial Services sector is moving towards but also how Capgemini aims to maintain its leadership taking into account the fast changing environment of the business.
The technical sessions and the Pinnacle workshop helped us to get our skills honed for the corporate. While technical sessions were about what solutions to think of and the technologies that are coming up in the financial services environment, the pinnacle workshop honed our presentation and public speaking skills.
The training projects and Consulting Skills Workshop projects started to give us a hands-on experience on solving problems the Capgemini way. For these projects, trainees brainstormed in teams and delivered concrete plans to deliver the solutions. This resulted in strong team bonding and everybody having fun while doing their jobs.
But the best was saved for the last - a week at the mesmerising Capgemini University in Les Fontaines, Paris. All the trainees were overawed by the beautiful setting of the Château. The CSW sessions gave us an opportunity to apply all the learnings from the previous four weeks in the practical scenarios. We were given challenges that tested our analytical and presentation skills while also requiring thinking on our feet. The last week ended with the team’s day out in Paris, a wonderful day in the beautiful city.
The five weeks of training gave us insights on the financial services sector, where it’s headed and the expectations from the E.L.I.T.E. trainees to spearhead Capgemini’s success in the ever-changing dynamics of this sector. There were some learning moments, but what sets E.L.I.T.E. apart is the ability to incorporate feedback on the go. I am excitedly looking forward to the rotations in the first year and to deliver not only what is expected of me, but more.
To infinity and beyond.
- Shashwat Sharma