FEATURE ARTICLE Thales University takes berth

Thales employees exercise their creative juices

Report defence and civil contexts), naval sonar and our employees access to best practice onsite combat systems, electronics for aircraft, and and e-training courses, and work with them on Corporate universities have not been a simulators (for flight and land vehicles). their career and personal growth goals.” prominent feature of the corporate training and development landscape in , A global network of campuses An increased commitment although most learning and development Thales University represents an increase in (L&D) practitioners would have heard Although corporate universities are not Thales Australia’s commitment to training. of MacDonald’s Hamburger University, well-known in Australia, they have made The number of L&D staff is increasing from Motorola University and, perhaps, the Coles their mark on the corporate landscape in the two to six, the number of face-to-face training Institute. But Thales Australia is poised US and Europe. Thales University in fact sessions is increasing this year to over 150 to show the possibilities of the corporate predates the rise of the corporate university in sessions, a large repertoire of online courses university with the launch this year of Thales the US. It was established in France in 1984. is available to employees through SkillSoft, University. With the establishment of Thales University in Australia, it operates at seven sites around and employees have access to the online book Thales Australia is part of the , the world – Jouy en Josas, near Paris, France; library, Books 24x7. which operates in 50 countries around the Crawley, near London, UK; Stuttgart, Bowles says that Thales Australia already world (“Thales” is pronounced as “tallus”). Germany; Rome, Italy; Washington DC, USA; had a strong training agenda, primarily for Thales Australia employs 3,700 people, with and Hengelo in the Netherlands. technical skills, and this would continue. around $1 billion invested in local technology, Thales partners with a variety of registered research and development (R&D). It has 35 Paul Bowles is the newly appointed General training organisations and TAFE institutes to sites around Australia, with headquarters at Manager of Thales University in Australia. deliver recognised vocational qualifications. It Garden Island in . It provides services He says that establishing Thales University also has a study assistance scheme to support to the Australian Defence Forces as well as was an indicator to the workforce that the employees in attaining tertiary qualifications. undertaking a range of commercial projects. company took learning and development seriously and was committed to providing The Thales University initiative will help the The workforce has a strong technology good quality enterprise training and education. company to expand its offering and contribute and engineering focus (it has 22,000 R&D The emphasis is on courses that are aligned to the sharing of corporate knowledge. With engineers worldwide), and the group invests to business needs rather than the issuing of the coming together of a number of separate around 20% of its revenues in ongoing qualifications. businesses in Australia, Bowles says it is also research and development. Thales Australia important to Thales to create a common was created as part of the Thales Group in The campus at Garden Island is part of the corporate culture and identity, thereby 2006, bringing Australian Defence Industries Thales Group’s global university network. promoting common processes and supporting and three other Australian businesses under Thales University has a global curriculum career development. the Thales umbrella. which is complemented by local content. Training is based around four strategic areas: The Thales Group is shifting from being a The range of Thales Australia projects includes Management & Change; Project Management multi-domestic to a truly global company, the refitting of naval frigates at Garden Island and Business Process; Marketing & Sales; and Thales University is seen as playing “a (a $1 billion project), the development and and Systems, Software and Transverse key federating role”. Bowles says this implies production of the Bushmaster (the only Technologies. an increasing openness to the outside world, armoured vehicle ever wholly designed and so that Thales University becomes “a cultural manufactured in Australia, currently used in Chris Jenkins, managing director of Thales melting pot to facilitate networking”. The Afghanistan), air traffic control systems (used Australia, said: “Thales believes strongly in Thales workforce is quite mobile, with across Australia and recently sold to Singapore developing a centre for learning in Australia. employees likely to do service in different Airport), security systems (used in both We’re extremely pleased to be able to offer locations, not only within Australia, but

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overseas as well, especially in Europe and the employees. We want to move from being a “As a young person heading into the US. number of separate companies to being one management path and gaining people company.” management responsibilities, I welcome Thales University Thales University has already commenced and appreciate all the help I can get. while delivering many of its key courses, two The Thales University initiative fits into I am currently studying MBA in Uni, I was examples of which are – Passport to People the company’s holistic approach to human hoping to attend courses that are: Management and Passport to Project resources, the motto of which is “People1st”. • Thales-focused, takes berth Management. Feedback from employees has Professional development is a key part of • where I can study in a Thales location been extremely positive. Attendees in the the Thales values. Each employee can have for convenience, also I can go back to people management course were particularly a professional development discussion my office after the course or in case of motivated by what they felt was an investment with their manager, which can clarify the ‘duty calls’ in them personally as well as the future employee’s career direction. From this • supportive, friendly environment, of the company. Attendees cited several comes a professional development plan. where people speak freely, and share their stories to be used as case studies benefits of the course, including improved This can include assessments and a plan communication skills and increased self- for training combined with individual • where I can meet and network with awareness. coaching. Employees’ options also include other Thales employees, and mobility between positions, both at local and • use this opportunity to enhance my Face-to-face sessions will be held around the international levels, and in-job development. knowledge about Thales overall. country in 2008 so that all employees will have “In addition, I would like to assess the the opportunity to experience the benefits of Thales University supports professional quality of training delivery, and usefulness, Thales University. The Thales University brand development through: so I can recommend to my colleagues, has been marketed to the workforce through more specifically, the staff I manage, in • welcome sessions for all graduates newsletters and a website where courses are order to reduce attrition rates, and further • career orientation sessions develop their skills. publicised. Lunchtime learning sessions are • management leadership and technical conducted on Thales projects and initiatives. “Thales University has exceeded all my leadership programs expectations. The management courses Some of these are course “taste testers” such as • “passport” sessions to key job families ensured us, as managers of the future, to one on creativity and innovation. (eg systems engineering, supply chain be the best as we can be, and equip us with tools to help us to get there, because Word of mouth recommendations from management) ‘people don’t leave companies, their leave satisfied customers of Thales University Thales has an employee life cycle approach to managers’.” courses have helped increase participation. development. Every employee with five years’ Jonathan Ma (Engineering Services Subject matter experts and managers are experience may attend an orientation meeting Manager from the Security, Solutions involved in the presentation of courses, along to consider career options, and every employee and Services Division) who attended the with external and internal trainers. with 25 years’ experience may attend a “career “Team Management” and “Transversal Management” courses. A cohesive brand point” seminar. Employees can choose whether to pursue a specialist/expert career Bowles says that a lot of attention is paid to path or a people management career path. “I have been with THALES for 6.5 years ensuring that external trainers are familiar and have done a range of courses. I also with the company culture before they start Bowles says that Thales University has completed a lot of courses in my previous training. “It is important that external trainers launched at a time when Thales Australia is life in the RAN. I’ve always been a little understand the Thales values and context, so growing, with exports playing an increasing reluctant to participate, contribute or offer they reflect that in the way they present to role in the business, and new projects my experiences in many courses, particularly those that involve a lot of role play… “The ‘Passport to People Management’ course changed all that for me. The course is without the slightest doubt, a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I have never contributed more to, or feel that I have got more out of, a course in either career. It gave me enormous confidence and self- belief that I will be able to lead the team that I am about to inherit professionally and competently. As the VP of HR said at the start of our course, ‘THALES wants managers to be good managers, they want their employees to enjoy coming to work’. I fully believe this course provides all who attend it the tools and skill sets to achieve this.” Steve McCarthy (Account Manager from the Land & Joint Systems Division) Getting to grips with transverse management

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underway that require a widening range of NEWS: GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS THALES’ SKILLING FOR THE FUTURE skills. He is excited about the possibilities Friday 11 July. Greg Combet, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, for Thales University as “a new learning and announced support in the order of $3.1 million for training development centre of excellence for the activities at Thales Australia. company”. “Under an agreement drawn up through the Skilling Australia’s Defence Industry Key to the success of Thales University is the (SADI) program, Thales has committed to upskilling a total of 2,325 staff over the next demonstrative support from the organisation. three years,” said Mr Combet. As well as increasing the direct headcount involved in Learning & Development, funding “Defence firms face stiff competition for skills that are in strong demand in highly a new, dedicated training space, members of profitable sectors such as mining and energy. the company’s Executive Leadership Team “The SADI initiative shares the responsibility for skills growth and development speak on and take part in many of the Thales between industry and government, with a view to addressing the unique character University Key Programs. Bowles says this kind of many defence-relevant skills, and the rising demand associated with the ongoing of executive support is critical in establishing modernisation and expansion of the ’s capability. Thales University as a true business partner. “Thales is one of Australia’s largest defence contractors and is currently contracted to Yves Barou, senior Vice President, Human deliver against 28 Defence land, sea and air contracts. Resources, and Chairman of Thales University worldwide, said: “Training has to be seen as “This new agreement represents a joint commitment on the part of Defence and Thales an investment, either to access and facilitate to spend over $18 million on defence-specific professional and technical training individual career paths or to deploy Thales’s activities. key projects: Thales University is there to drive “Australian Government support through the SADI program will deliver an almost and promote training within the group.” five-fold increase in the level of training undertaken by Thales Australia, which is more The next 12 months look to be an exciting than fifteen hundred additional places over and above their normal training activity,” time for Thales Australia, and for its corporate said Mr Combet. university. Julian Elliott, Communications Coordinator at Thales Australia, said that the training Report-AITD by AD Glenn AUG Martin, 08 Half editor 30/7/08 10:51 AMwill Pagebe provided 1 through Thales University.

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