Zoeterwoude training assures Heineken standards worldwide Implementation of Heineken policy of entrusting overseas brewery management to local executives is a major responsibili ty of the company's Training Centre, ad ministered by Heineken Technisch Beheer at Zoeterwoude.There are in all some 59 breweries worldwide engaged in produc tion of Heineken beer or brewing local brands under the company's technical su pervision. Many of them are established in Third World countries, with an espe cially large concentration of brewing units in Africa. Nigeria, for example, already has three breweries in operation and a fourth is in the planning stage. Replace ment of Dutch expatriates by local mana gers in these areas is steadily increasing and the growing flow of trainees to Zoeter woude reflects the trend. Most managers who come to Holland for training have al ready received basic tuition in their own countries, followed by two or three years of practical experience. First priority is to familiarise them with the company so that Heineken, instead of being merely the name of a huge organiza tion based in a far-off European country, comes to mean people and a friendly working environment. The process begins immediately when the visitors meet Train ing Centre personnel - Ir. P.E. Röhrig, his two assistants and secretaries. The ideal venue The department has had long experience of training personnel and is sympathetic to the initial difficulties of communication and occasional sense of isolation experien ced by people settling into a new business habitat. For this reason trainees form groups of seven or eight, all following in- smoother for knowing the personality be hind the voice over the telephone or the signature on a letter. Different departments Heineken training courses began on a slightly sporadic basis a quarter-century ago. Today, at any time throughout the year, there is an average of 10 to 15 trai nees at Zoeterwoude, comprising those taking a first-training course of four to five months' duration and others engaged on a "supplementary" lasting anything from one week to five months. First-training is given in English during the first half-year and in French for the remaining six months. While studying at Zoeterwoude trainee managers are resident at a hotel in the nearby university town of Leiden and are given facilities for personal transport. Trainees may spend anything from one to four weeks in different departments of various Heineken breweries. French- speaking students often stay for up to eight weeks at the Albra breweries in France where part of their work is undertaken in seminars at the Nancy School of Brewing. Engineers sometimes take "on the job" courses at other facilities, for example in welding or instrumentation or the study of compressors at a supplier's plant. Wher ever trainees may be, the underlying aim is to leaven the technical content of train ing with as much variety as is practicable. And their response is expertly noted in terms of initiative displayed and ability to listen effectivelyA particularly important insight into ability and power of observa tion is afforded by each trainee's written report on what he has seen and heard, with emphasis on any differences between dividual programmes but coming together for technical periods, lectures and excur sions. In this way any tendency to home sickness is usually avoided. Each student receives training in one of two main cate gories covering respectively engineering technology and the technique of brewing. For these purposes Zoeterwoude is the ideal venue, being in effect the Heineken technical interface with all overseas units, so that from time to time practically every specialist based there performs a training function. The Central Quality Control de partment, for example, is responsible for maintaining brewing standards and con trolling quality worldwide. To this end it is clearly a great advantage for both members of the department and trainees to meet; their future collaboration will be the 10 Teaching the technology of a modern industry

Jaarverslagen en Personeelsbladen Heineken

Heineken Contact | 1980 | | pagina 10