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Key role of training at Heineken
How do the corporate universities operated by large multinationals ensure that everyone who enrols on one of their classroom-based courses begins at roughly the same level and so can profit equally from valuable instructor-contact time?
This was the problem facing the brewing giant Heineken, whose 60,000 employees operating in 170 countries around the world have the right of access to courses at the Heineken University.
The company set up the Heineken University in 1998 to help its employees to meet ever-changing business requirements. Last year, some 1,300 employees attended courses at the Amsterdam learning centre, housed in a renovated brewery in the centre of the city, where the first Heineken beer was brewed in 1868.
Han van der Pool, learning officer for HR, leadership and strategy at Heineken University, explained:
Heineken recognizes that its competitiveness, to an ever-increasing degree, is determined by its ability to generate knowledge, retain it and make it available for staff. The greater that ability, the stronger our position will be in the global market.
The international beer market was becoming increasingly crowded, with strong competition not only from large established breweries but also from smaller, independent firms. We recognized that training was critical to enhance the knowledge of senior employees and help them to perform to the maximum.
We have always been dedicated to employee development and investing in a learning culture within the organization. Developing employees and ensuring they are armed with...