Are graduate leadership development programs broken? Great research, interesting results, equals great conversation at the event.

1. Are Graduate Leadership Development Programs
Broken?
Jonathan Kwan and Matthew Jurado – Kwantum Leap
www.seaage.org
A non-profit organization founded and led by
a panel of specialist in graduate employment

2. About SEAAGE
Who are we
• Not-for-Profit organization
• Founded and based in Singapore
• An independent organization run by graduate employers for
graduate employers in South East Asia across a broad
range of industries
• Aim to help organizations better understand how to recruit
and retain “early in career” talent both locally and globally
www.seaage.org

3. Join SEAAGE
One-off registration fee
SGD 570
Membership fee (1 year)
SGD 750
Membership fee (2 years)
SGD 1,500

4. SEAAGE LinkedIn Group

5. § Specialize in coaching & developing mid to young
career talent
§ Trusted advisor to many top universities in Asia &
abroad
§ Deep understanding of talent needs & ambitions
balanced with our global business acumen
§ Hope to bring a data driven approach to
identifying and nurturing top talent, especially in
graduate employment
WHO WE ARE

6. HOW WE DID IT
§ 200+ questions from recruitment to
onboarding to programme roll-off
§ Analytics go beyond typical tabular averages,
using correlations, regression & p-value
significance analysis
§ Advised by NUS Professor of Decision
Sciences
© Kwantum Leap Group

7. © Kwantum Leap Group
ABOUT THE SAMPLE
§ Bottom-up: directly surveyed 250 people
§ 65% Asian, 22% European,13% Americas
§ 67% experienced programme/first work
experience in Asia Pacific region

8. FACT #1:WHY PEOPLE JOIN
TOP 3 REASONS PEOPLE JOIN
1. Company Rep (23%)
2. Fast Track Career (22%)
3. Program Rep (9%)
© Kwantum Leap Group

9. FACT #2: RETENTION
§ 34% leave within 2yrs after
the program
§ 30% cited their Manager as
reason for leaving
© Kwantum Leap Group
TOP 3 REASONS
PEOPLE STAY
1. Role & Work (48%)
2. Manager (40%)
3. Career Progress (40%)
Immediately
6 months+
1-2yrs
10%
7%
17%

10. FACT #3: KEY ELEMENTS
§ Most common elements:
§ Functional Rotations, Networking, Performance
Appraisals, Induction
§ Candidates who have functional rotations are likely
to stay 81% longer (after the programme) than if
they didn't
§ Geographic rotations are not important
© Kwantum Leap Group

11. © Kwantum Leap Group
INSIGHT#1:
BAD MANAGERS
WON’T KILL
YOU…
§ Best managers aren’t necessarily well
rounded
§ Great ones who can earn respect can
significantly enhance retention
§ Those that set challenging objectives
enhance the overall programme
experience by up to 29%

12. INSIGHT#2: A PROPER CONCLUSION &
SMOOTH ROLL-OFF IS NOT TRIVIAL
§ Smooth transition can lead to 15% improvement in
overall experience
§ Candidates tend to be happier when they feel they
have influenced their own choice
“Disappointed role promised was not available”
“Clearly no advanced planning on the final role was done.
Placement was done a few weeks after graduation from the
programme. Not placed at the promised work level”
§ Less than 20% met new boss prior to final role
© Kwantum Leap Group

13. © Kwantum Leap Group
INSIGHT#3: TO CALCULATE ROI,
OBJECTIVES MUST BE CLEAR
Programme
Satisfaction
Development
& Individual
Growth
ReadinessRetention
Individual
Impact
Career
Progress

14. © Kwantum Leap Group
3 DISCUSSION ITEMS
WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO “HANDLE” MANAGERS?
WHAT SHOULD BE THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF A
LDP?
WHAT ATTRIBUTES DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A HI-PO?

15. JONATHAN KWAN
MATTHEW JURADO
www.kwantumleap.sg