Alarko Talent Development Program… A Unique Career Development Program by Dr. Üzeyir Garih
Alarko Talent Development Program, launched in 2006 by Alarko Contracting Group, is a career program which received significant financial and spiritual investment. The purpose of the program is to train highly-qualified mid- and top-level managers to be assigned at different units of the Alarko Contracting Group in 8-9 years, primarily project management. The process is intended to train future managers so that they adopt Alarko's corporate culture and competencies, thereby paving the way for the Group to achieve even greater accomplishments both at home and abroad.
A mentor is assigned for each participant in the program from among Alarko managers to share their years of experience at Alarko and offer guidance. Mentors coach the program participants, monitor them to see if they put their learning into practice and support them as necessary.
Participants remain "Candidates" for the first year, during which period they are assessed by various tasks, tests, interviews and observation; and depending on their performance they continue their path as part of the Alarko Talent Development Program from their second year on.
The first 4 years of the Alarko Talent Development Program include various training sessions designed for professional and personal development. Organized as both internal and external trainings, these sessions take place in 2 terms every year: spring and fall. The talent development program is based on job rotations during its first four year period; participants undergo 8 different rotations, each of which lasts 6 months, to gain experience at different units and in different roles. After the first 4 years, they work as department heads and managers on 3 different projects to become qualified as project managers by the end of 8-9 years.