CAREERS: DDB HK sends staffers back to school

<p>HONG KONG: DDB Hong Kong is sending more of its staff to DDB </p><p>University following the success of its inaugural participation last </p><p>year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In 2000, 33 employees from a broad cross-section of the agency - account </p><p>executives to account directors and creative to strategic people - </p><p>attended courses to hone the skills they require to be effective leaders </p><p>in their area of work. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The number for this year has been set at 40, with the agency spending at </p><p>least HKdollars 2 million (about USdollars 257,000), which takes care of </p><p>travel costs and study materials. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>DDB Greater China president and chief executive officer, Aaron Lau, said </p><p>the philosophy behind the university is to train a core group of people </p><p>who would later go back to the agency to train their colleagues. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"When they come back, programmes are organised to pass on the knowledge </p><p>they have learned to a broader group of people," he said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Courses at the university are intensive and the participation time </p><p>varies from a few days to a week. There isn't a set place where students </p><p>meet; instead classes are held in different locations around the world, </p><p>which is "part of the training for staff to see the DDB global culture </p><p>as well", Lau said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The teachers are mostly senior DDB executives, mainly business </p><p>development and planning directors. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In addition, professors from the Harvard School of Business have also </p><p>been invited to tailor-make special study programmes for the agency. Lau </p><p>is participating in one such two-year programme and is due to graduate </p><p>in June. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"There's no degree you earn like a masters," he said, but added that the </p><p>agency felt it is important that staff continually upgrade their skills </p><p>to match the rapidly-changing business climate. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>DDB University was established in January 2000, after 18 months of </p><p>surveying best practices among international companies and assessing the </p><p>network's training needs. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Lau estimated that hundreds of DDB employees worldwide have benefited </p><p>directly from the programmes of the university, running up an annual </p><p>cost of between USdollars 5 million and USdollars 10 million. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Lau said the university aims to help DDB achieve its mission more </p><p>effectively, with courses shaped by the network's heritage, values and </p><p>goals. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But while one of its main aims is to act as the custodian of the </p><p>network's collective knowledge, the university stresses in its manifesto </p><p>that everyone working at DDB has the opportunity to attend courses, not </p><p>just the top segment of the agency. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>