Where is India’s home bred talent?

There is a growing need and unrelenting cries for a full established education system in India. 95,000 odd Indian students currently study in Australia – if the education based was well set, would we have these students within the Indian education fabric. The Indian system focuses on learning by rote and not a practically established system. Calls for reforms in the sector include opening up primary and secondary education to private investment, easier entry of foreign universities and better monitoring, evaluating and having better ‘quality’ students.

According to Janmejaya Sinha, Managing Director of Boston Consulting Group (BCG) “The talent gap is compromising the growth of companies, big time”. According to a BCG group, there was a 30% rise in IT salaries from 2004-06 because of a war for talent between firms. “It is one of the biggest risk they face”, he says.

More than half of India’s billion plus population is below the age group of 25. But, about 40% of its work force of about 400 million people is illiterate and another 40% comprises of school drop-outs, said BCG in a report. Demand for graduates over next 5 years in likely to be 13.8 million, but the reality is that only 13.2 million students graduating over the same period resulting in a talent shortfall of 600,000 fresh students. Sinha says “More than a million people lacking the ability to participate in the workforce has the makings of a potential demographic disaster. We have an army of potentially unskilled workforce, graduates who are ready to face the work force and a frustrated group of workforce. This will only derail India’s growth in the long run.”

India’s literacy rate is at 61% which is dismal compared to other Bric nations in terms of average number of years in secondary education. Rival China already produces more than 3 times the number of PhDs each year.

Fact is that India is home to one of the world’s oldest universities, but, reality is that only 10% of the 20 million who enrol in the grade each year finish high school. Of course female participation scores poorly in this entire equation.

(Reference: Reuters)

About MapleCode

MapleCode is a results-driven business consulting firm that offers services in People & Change Management, Marketing Solutions & IT. Our offerings include Talent Search, HR Consulting, Learning & Development, Advertising, Branding, Internet Marketing, IT Advisory and e-Enablement.

MapleCode as part of its employment strategy and being an EEO provider and as part of its ‘giving back to soceity’ initiatives, employs and nutures fresh graduates within its workforce. In the inception year (2009), MapleCode strives to employee and invest 60% of its workforce group from the Fresh graduate category including graduates and post graduates. MapleCode’s in-house training division “MapleCode Learning Solutions”, trains its associates in house and on the latest and niche segments to help them grow professionaly and holistically.

Training, we believe, is essential and core to our success and as well as success of our associates.

Regards,

Prashanth Vaidyan

(The contributor is the Director of Business Planning and Human Capital at MapleCode).

MapleCode First Quarter Highlights 2009

Dear All,

MapleCode has completed a successful three months of operations on August 14, 2009. All your efforts and dedication has helped the organization to move ahead on various initiatives that it has stepped forward to achieve. It is reassuring to note that we have successfully launched all our Business Lines (BLs) simultaneously:

(a) Talent Acquisition & Delivery Group

(b) IT Advisory Services

(c) Marketing & Branding Solutions

(d) Learning Solutions

The Story so far....and successes

IT Advisory Services

MapleCode commenced operations with an IT Advisory assignment for a leading IT Electronics giant in the Middle East (Dubai, UAE). We were retained to ‘IT enable’ the launch of their new product line across the Middle East. We successfully delivered the assignment on time with our offshore IT team in Bangalore. Work was hard and many in the team worked relentlessly across all weekends and holidays converting their homes to a MapleCode office during these days. Our delivery and methodology was well appreciated and we are on the way of winning another deal with the same client.

Marketing & Branding Solutions

MapleCode’s Marketing & Branding Solutions division was roped in by a leading European Telecom provider to create and employee an “Employer/HR Branding Program” across their offices in INDIA. Though, our first step in this sector, the delivery team successfully launched the program in time and much to the delight of the client

Talent Acquisition & Delivery Group

MapleCode’s TAG achieved early success to work as exclusive partners with leading IT/Non-IT organizations in INDIA. With a focus to target niche sectors, the TAG at MapleCode continues to work and strengthen its presence in its domain of expertise. The team has successfully closed critical positions quickly and effectively. Team: Thanks and keep up the spirit and continue the dedication.

Learning Solutions

MapleCode’s Learning Solutions division is in talks with leading educational institutions and corporate bodies to implement learning solutions within their folds. We are hopeful in closing few projects in the months ahead.

Business Alliances Model – Partner Ecosystem

Early success was seen in our Business Alliances Strategy by entering into an agreement with a leading Business Management group – Salalah Vision Trading & Contracting Co. LLC in Muscat, Oman to promote and brand MapleCode in Muscat, Oman and the neighbouring GCC nations. Blu Bee Web Solutions was another success story where MapleCode partnered with an IT and SEO provider based in Bangalore to propel MapleCode’s IT Advisory Services, globally. As you are aware, Blu Bee has set up their offshore office within MapleCode’s Indiranagar facility.

MapleCode’s website launch

August saw the launch of MapleCode’s website – www.maplecode.com. You may be amazed to know that the website was developed based on views, suggestions and observations from our clientele, well-wishes and fellow associates. We wished to ensure that MapleCode’s website clearly stated our commitment and zeal in delivering and working towards client vision and growth. It is a matter of honour that our website is among the very few that has been linked to “Social Networking” sites like Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In and the MapleCode Blog (and shortly in YouTube). You can encouraged to visit the site regularly and provide feedback on changes required

MapleCode’s Blog Page

A Blog Page has been created to promote and brand MapleCode. A niche level of promoting wares, this blog page is regularly visited. You are all welcome to add your blog content. Currently, this is User Administered. Please reach out to me or Vinod to upload your blog page.

The Story ahead....

The global market is resurgent and the outlook is positive and the India story is strong. MapleCode’s outlook for 2009-10 is bright and august and we all must strive to ensure positive growth and success in all our endeavours.

We will strongly focus in Sales & Delivery within the Talent Acquisition & Delivery (Executive Search), IT Advisory, Branding & Marketing and Learning Solutions divisions. MapleCode will strive to be a #1 or #2 in each domain and market we operate; ensuring success for its associates, Business Alliance Partners, clients and partners. We look forward in all team members contributing effectively to the growth of the organization in the months and years ahead. MapleCode on its part will ensure and strive to provide all avenues for our associates to be trained, to perform and deliver and in providing holistic and professional growth always.

Feel free to walk up to anyone of us to discuss and talk on your views on how best we can improve systems at MapleCode anytime.

All the best!

Warm Regards,

Prashanth Vaidyan

Director (People, Finance & Business Planning)

MapleCode Consulting Private Limited,

Bangalore, INDIA

Survival of the Aspiring Manager in Today's Global Economy

Survival of the Aspiring Manager in today’s economy

By Vinod Thomas (IBMR, Bangalore, July 29,2009)

Good Morning to the Dean, Faculty & Staff at IBMR and Parents. Congratulations and a warm welcome to the aspiring managers and entrepreneurs on the Inaugural Function of the Class of 2009.

My thoughts today revolve on the Survival of the fittest, or should we say Survival of the aspiring manager, in today’s global economy.

"Life's not about waiting for the storms to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain." ~Vivian Greene.

The meltdown of the Global economy has affected us all. Thanks largely to the parents, the students of today are well insulated from the pressures.

But Industry expectations have gone up and there continues to be a gross mismatch between the needs of an Employer and an Employee. We all have become global in our thinking, but we want a lifestyle that is 9 to 5. Unfortunately, today there is no 9 to 5 job. Every employer wants every second of your time.

Strong Performers need not fear the bad economy. There is always reward for good work.

Take for example the IT industry in India. Over the last 25 years a lot of sweat and blood has gone into making what it is today. People toiled hard and made it a colossus. But today’s youth have to see beyond the glamour of the IT industry. We have to continue to be focussed, work hard, stretch and be persistent. We have to endure the pain that all successful entrepreneurs have undergone to build organizations. For that the sacrifices are huge and we can make an impact by focusing on the following areas - goals, character, time management, personal health, money, courage and responsibility.

I would leave you all with the following thoughts to action. They are all time tested

1. Strengthen your basics

2. Make learning your first priority. Be a Fast learner and be adept in Re-skilling & De-skilling yourself

3. Set Stretch Targets / Goals - Set high goals for yourself. If you set low goals you’ll finally meet them all and eventually get bored.

4. The power of Discipline is a must

5. Perseverance in all that you do

6. Flexibility in approach

7. Ability to stand on your own feet through sheer determination and grit.

8. Think Long term – all your solutions need to be long term focussed

9. Patience – Work your way up the career ladder

10. Stretch - Ability to work under pressure

11. Be responsible, deliver, and then demand

12. Just remember...people are like sticks of dynamite; the power's on the inside but nothing happens until the fuse gets lit.

As tomorrow’s leaders

• Can you embody the statesmanship and ethical entrepreneurship abilities of Ratan Tata?
• Can you create wealth for share holders like Mukesh Ambani?
• Can you think Big like Anil Ambani?
• Can you be engaged in the transformation of telecom into a lifestyle business like Sunil Mittal?
• Can you be the Bollywood outsider who made it to the top through sheer grit like Shah Rukh Khan?

If yes, then see you on the Top 5 Powerful People list, 10-20 years from now.

The difference between greatness and mediocrity is "To get what you've never had, you must do what you've never done."

Wishing you all the very best and hoping that all our initiatives at IBMR will help you to be successful in your endeavours.

Continue to dream and act on them.

Thank you.

Vinod Thomas

Director, MapleCode Consulting Private Limited

MapleCode Talent Search: Vision and Promise

At MapleCode there are five imperatives to business – Clear Vision, Target & Commitments, Transparency, Meaningful Marketing and Performance-Oriented Management. We focus on priorities that will assure we are acting on things that are most important for our Client organization. We generate value by asking what do our customers (hiring managers and candidates) want and need and how best we can serve them. We want to become more competitive in our industry and improve. We work on a clear strategy and process. Customer focus is mandatory and Value creation is always the measure of our effectiveness. Our message is simple, we must first listen and then think. We initiate talks with people from different functions to fix problems. You learn only after you listen to people.

MapleCode’s vision is to be the "Best in class Talent Search organization with focus on Quality of Hire, Cost, Time to fill and Hiring Manager + Candidate Satisfaction, every time and everywhere". We aim to do existing things better and newer initiatives faster. We are motivated and our passion translates to all our stakeholders. We monitor our performance consistently, and when there is a problem, face it and resolve it right away.

Today MapleCode has developed a strong Talent Search team and we ensure we go from strength to strength tightening our existing process and creating new methodologies for "Hiring the Best".

MapleCode believes Managers have to focus on building tomorrow's successors today and are expected to be a good coach looking at the future while working on the present - "Good leaders produce more leaders, not more followers."

Challenging objectives are weapons to avoid complacency and arrogance. Each of us at MapleCode create intensity even when things are going smoothly and think of new challenges or levels to reach for. We are aggressive and achieve stretch targets. We continue to build on strength and our motivation is to work harder and smarter.

Vinod Thomas

The Author is the Co-Founder/Director at MapleCode Consulting Private Limited

New Hub - Hyderabad

We are delighted to announce that MapleCode Consulting Private Limited has expanded to open a new India regional office in Hyderabad. It will be our pleasure to serve you at our new location with the same quality and service you have come to expect of us.

About MapleCode (www.maplecode.com)

Incepted in 2009, MapleCode is a results-driven business consulting firm headquartered in Bangalore, INDIA that offers services in People & Change Management, Marketing Solutions & IT. Our offerings include Talent Search, HR Consulting, Learning & Development, Advertising, Branding, Internet Marketing, IT Advisory and e-Enablement.