Making room for new graduates, as well as actively recruiting experienced consultants, are two ways Synergy ensures it tops up and retains the skills it needs in an industry that is often marked by shortages.
"The world labour market has opened up to South Africans and their skills are sought after, so that it is relatively easy for qualified consultants in analytics and FPM (financial performance management) to receive job offers in the US, Australia and Europe. While this is a feather in our cap and attests to good training, it is also a two-edged sword which leaves the local market short of experienced workers," says Synergy MD, Christo Bredenkamp.
"Factors like politics and crime play a role, but often qualified consultants accept foreign assignments simply for the experience of working in another country. That means we have to be pro-active in finding the right talent, and we do so not just from within the ranks of our own industry: we throw the net wide to recruit skilful people who we can develop through dedicated training."
Bredenkamp says Synergy works hard to create a flexible working environment that is conducive to career growth and entrepreneurial thinking.
"In addition we place a lot of emphasis on the development of soft skills and leadership training in order to grow our people to their fullest potential."
To ensure that there is a next generation of skilled consultants, Synergy is expanding its postgrad programme.
"This year marks the first decade of Synergy's successful, and growing, postgraduate programme that has given young people an opportunity to fine-tune their skills under the watchful eye of expert senior consultants in the BI field. To expand our programme, we will be extending our offering to include FPM and will take on three graduates in January next year," says Synergy's national services manager, Carl Hochfelden.
"This is still the best way to grow our next-generation consultant base, and to introduce young graduates to our work ethic and culture. We believe South Africa is sitting on a wealth of talented young people who simply need opportunities to learn and contribute to the industry."
Hochfelden says that the programme aims to give participants:
* exposure to multiple disciplines within BI and FPM;
* exposure to multiple industries;
* a focused mentorship programme, where they are rotated through various BI and FPM competencies and their skills are tested practically; and
* an improved induction and initial training programme, including a practical training course, at the end of which they will present back to the MD, BI/FPM solutions manager and senior consultants.
"The ultimate goal of our programme is well-a rounded consultant, whom we can confidently place on a customer site, and for whom we can plot a challenging and fruitful career path in Synergy," says Hochfelden.
"Last year we embarked on something a little different by offering a two-month internship to a second year student. This was another opportunity to get close to students who plan on doing their honours. It was an experiment, but one with good results as the then-student has just joined us as a permanent employee," Hochfelden added.
Bredenkamp points out that the graduate programme has paid off handsomely in the past. "The majority of participants have remained loyal employees who have refined their professional and technical skills and, having been exposed to and grounded in all aspects of BI, have found their fit and are flourishing in their areas of specialisation. In fact, we have seen most graduates stay with us in excess of five years, which we see as an indicator that we're doing something right," he says.
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