As one of the top flour millers in the country, we at the URC Flour and Pasta Division actively develop training programs and establish talent pipelines for succession in order to retain the best talent in the industry. We enhance our workplace by investing in long-term training programs such as the Cadetship Program and the Skills Enhancement Program, both of which are geared toward the purposeful transformation of our employees’ knowledge and skills.

We enhance our workplace by investing in long-term training programs such as the Cadetship Program and the Skills Enhancement Program

DEVELOPING FUTURE LEADERS WITH THE CADETSHIP PROGRAM

In order to develop URC’s own talent pool and improve employee retention, the Human Resources Group and the Manufacturing Group of URC Flour and Pasta Division designed a comprehensive Cadetship Program. This two-year training program is intended for engineering graduates or new employees who want to develop their competencies in flour and pasta manufacturing.

The first stage of the program consists of a month-long series of classroom lectures, with the supervisors and managers serving as subject matter experts (SMEs) and overseeing weekly evaluation examinations.

For the second stage, the program participants, called Cadet Engineers, undergo job rotations in the engineering, technical services, supply chain, technology, flour milling, and pasta production departments of the Manufacturing Group. Thus, the Cadet Engineers are able to learn the processes, functions, and activities of each department. Prior to employment regularization, the Cadet Engineers must complete a revalida study (i.e., an evaluation of skill and knowledge) focused on an innovation or renovation topic related to the Manufacturing Group.

For the third stage, or after their employment regularization, the Cadet Engineers then undergo job immersion to the same departments to expose them to a wider variety of skills and experiences. Along with this, the Cadet Engineers are asked to complete individual revalidas every six months for the duration of the training. A thorough evaluation is done prior to their final deployment to the different departments of the Manufacturing Group.

In 2016, the Cadetship Program’s first batch of graduates has been deployed to critical positions such as project engineers, maintenance and production planners, and process specialists. The training program has also generated 19 internal SMEs for both flour and pasta operations. With the success of their first batch of Cadet Engineers, URC Flour and Pasta Division continued the program by hiring the second and third batch of Cadet Engineers.

Owing to the improved skills of our employees, URC Flour and Pasta Division produced 105% more in FY2016 than our original target production for the year.

CONTINUOUS LEARNING WITH THE SKILLS ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM

To further instill a learning culture among its employees, URC Flour and Pasta Division also created a Skills Enhancement Program that provides hands-on learning experience in flour and pasta production. The program aims to enhance the skills and develop the competencies of the Manufacturing Group’s engineers in order to improve their ability to operate and handle maintenance activities.

With its framework geared toward consistency in the implementation of skills development, the program is designed to cater both to the training needs of employees and to the urgent needs of the business. It equips employees to fill up certain positions in case of vacancies, thereby ensuring that the business will still run smoothly even during the transition.

To begin with, all employees of the Manufacturing Group assess their skills and submit their self-assessment to immediate supervisors for validation. The Department Managers and Supervisors identify the skills required for specific positions, and select employees who can become subject matter experts (SMEs) in a specific field or topic. The Technical Training Officer then assesses the skills gap of employees, and then prepares a training plan and schedule for the year to address the identified skills gaps.

In 2016, 143 employees were trained under the program, with a total of 55 trainings and seminars conducted inside and outside the plant. And owing to the improved skills of our employees, URC Flour and Pasta Division produced 105% more in FY2016 than our original target production for the year.