Understanding requirements
Our global design and engineering client had 260 new trainees from around the world starting work in September 2014 on their largest ever graduate recruitment programme. The client wanted to impress upon the new intake that the company considered them ‘the future’ and would provide a long and rewarding career path.
Inntel was brought in to organise and manage the entire nine-day induction event, which started with a three-day welcome in London followed by six days of skills training in Cardiff and London. Our responsibilities ranged from booking venues, accommodation and transport to organising a range of networking activities and managing all delegate registration and communications before, during and after the event.
Solving problems
Our first task was to identify the most appropriate venues for the different stages of the event. We eventually booked a large hotel and conference centre in Oxford for the initial induction so that everyone could settle in and get to know each other in one place. For the skills training elements, we selected suitable facilities in London and Cardiff.
All of the graduates would be working in one of three disciplines – building, consulting or infrastructure. On the first day of the conference we gave them all white overalls to change in to, emphasising that they were all starting work today and together, and colour-coded lanyards that enabled the new recruits to identify others in their field. They were also provided with colour-coded and branded thermal coffee cups to use in our café-style refreshment and networking area.
The company Chairman and CEO made the opening and closing addresses, explaining that the graduates had joined the best company at the best possible moment, and making reference to their portfolio of iconic buildings in capital cities around the world. Inntel reinforced this message through a series of team building exercises. One of these, the ‘Big Picture’ game, involved groups of graduates reproducing the small and apparently meaningless images they had been given on A3 canvases. When the canvases were put together, they created a huge picture depicting the history and global standing of the company.
Adding value
We created a branded portal for the event using WeMeet, the delegate management tool in the Inntel Meetings Management software suite. Thanks to WeMeet, we were able to streamline the administration, creating the guest list, issuing invitations, collating responses and managing all communications. It also provided the invited delegates with a secure ‘Facebook style’ social media platform, so they were able to start networking before the event.
Our long-standing relationship with the Oxford venue enabled us to negotiate a significantly enhanced package that included exclusive use of the conference areas (so it was closed off to other customers) at no additional charge. This saved our client money while focusing all attention on the new graduates.
Satisfying customers
Inntel’s Event Managers worked with a team of specially commissioned freelance hostesses to ensure every aspect ran without a hitch, and the graduates themselves reported that it had been a very positive introduction to their new employer.