Starting a new job can be daunting for young professionals, which is why CTT developed a strong onboarding process for their new starters that not only introduced them to the company’s values and culture, but also gave them the opportunity for direct interaction with senior leaders. 

Over the years, this approach has been shown to foster a strong sense of belonging and support for the trainees - as well as a smooth transition to the world of work. 

Background and vision

CTT’s Trainee Programme was established in 2015, and since then it’s grown to be an essential part of nurturing and supporting the next generation of talent. 

Young people have many options when choosing a company to work for, and CTT’s outstanding onboarding programme makes it an attractive choice. The scheme acknowledges the complex landscape facing young professionals today, and the impact of this important transitional phase on their wellbeing. Through the comprehensive programme, CTT has demonstrated a strong commitment to their mental health and professional growth.

Now in its sixth iteration, each cycle of the programme supports around 15 trainees, with the latest group welcoming 20 talented individuals from diverse academic backgrounds.

How the onboarding works

The onboarding journey begins with an immersive Welcome Day, which is hosted by CTT’s CEO. 

Recognising that on-boarding is more than just ‘day one’, the Welcome Day marks the start of a year long onboarding programme which is divided into three stages; ‘Being CTT’, which aligns trainees with CTT’s culture and ethos, ‘What We Offer, which introduces trainees to CTT’s diverse business areas and ‘How We Do It’ which gives hands-on experience to build confidence and to ease the transition from academic to professional life.

Bespoke support and development

Throughout the programme, trainees undergo rotations which are tailored to their strengths and interests, participate in bi-weekly volunteering programmes, and work on a group project to increase their engagement and visibility within CTT. 

Continuous support is provided by dedicated tutors, mentors, and buddies from previous cycles of the programme, demonstrating a recognition of the importance of a support network in this exciting, but at times daunting period in starting a career.

Performance evaluations are done at the end of each rotation - and at the end of the programme too - to make sure that personal and professional goals are aligned. 

Conclusion

CTT’s Training Programme has proven to be enormously popular with trainees, and the annual Pulse survey results reflect its success in fostering inclusion, diversity, and authentic self-expression at work.

But it’s more than simply a career launchpad; we’d describe it as a nurturing environment which is aligned to the mental health and career aspirations of young professionals. 

We are proud to recognise CTT’s work, by honouring them with our Early Careers Award.