bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

A fortnightly column introducing key trainee programme
To succeed at Fujitsu PC Asia-Pacific's management training programme requires more than just academic excellence and field experience. The trainee must show leadership abilities.
The computer company has been in Hong Kong for almost 50 years and is one of the region's leading firms in computing, telecommunications and related services.
The company is involved in sales, research and development for enterprises in Hong Kong and the mainland, offering business solutions tailored specially to every one of its customers.
The management training programme started in 2000 in Singapore and last year in Hong Kong.
Four graduates were selected to join the programme last year from the more than 2,000 applications the company's regional  headquarters in Hong Kong received.
Three of the  successful candidates were from  City University of Hong Kong and one from an overseas university. All  completed the one-year programme and were employed by the  company.
Applicants should hold a business-related degree,  such as business administration, marketing, finance or logistics.  Besides academic excellence, the company looks for individuals with strong leadership skills.
'We look at people who  have dynamic  personalities,  and have excelled in extra-curricular  activities and  shown leadership skills,' said human resources manager Fiona Yong.
Every application is treated on its merits and the degree in which the applicant graduated, their activities, achievements and behaviour during the interviews determine whether  they are deemed suitable for the training programme.
There are three different stages of interviews, the first  with human resources and line managers, the second with heads and management teams of different departments and the third with the CEO.
Soon after candidates are selected, the training begins. 'The training depends on the intake. They will start with the on-the-job rotation programme, then go on to our specialist  phase before they are actually  placed  in one of the [many] departments,' Ms Yong said.
There are a lot of opportunities for the trainees within the  company. After completion of the management training programme, individuals are usually  appointed to an executive-level position.
Lalita Lee joined the management training programme in Singapore in 2006 before relocating to Hong Kong. 'Fujitsu is a reputable brand in the industry, the management training programme is a very good platform for all fresh graduates, or anybody with minimum experience, because it grooms you for your future career path,' said Ms Lee, senior marketing communications executive.
She gained experience during rotations in key departments, such as finance, marketing, operations and customer service and, during the training, she learned to understand how local teams worked with the headquarters in Hong Kong and externally with vendors and suppliers.All trainees are assigned to a mentor, usually a head of department, during their rotations. 'They were always very patient and told me how to go about doing [things] and what I enjoyed during my time as a trainee was that they didn't spoon-feed me,' Ms Lee said.
'They gave me guidelines, so they actually made sure you learned from the first time you asked anything.
'After what I've learned, I  think that we, as management trainees, will be given almost everything, like almost any task, right from the challenging ones to the simplest tasks. ... We are still fresh graduates, we are still learning. I think it's important that you take criticisms especially during your programme.'



Dynamic leaders in great demand