Leading Service Provider Upskills New Hires through Cutting-Edge
Full-Stack Training

The IT and Telecommunications sector is undoubtedly one of the fastest-growing and most compelling industries in the world. Its significance in driving an organization’s technological innovation and economic progress cannot be overstated.

One of our customers in this industry was looking for a way to upskill its new hires to bridge the skills gap and get them up to speed as quickly as possible. A digital upskilling experience means that we equip individuals with the skills and mindset necessary to excel in a digitally driven world, ensuring long-term sustainability.

Upskilling employees also means giving them the knowledge and confidence required to take on new responsibilities and leverage the latest tools with ease and efficiency. Read our customer case to learn how we set up a learning program with great impact!

Category

Upskilling new hires

Number of employees

300

Industry

IT & Telecommunications

Why

Bridging the skills gap in new recruits

What

Building a customized solution leveraging Xebia’s “PAIR” methodology

How

Applying hands-on training for immediate impact. The implemented learning solution comprised various elements, including:

  • Capstone projects
  • Practical assignments
  • Quizzes
  • Games

The challenge: training and empowering new hires

As part of its expansion strategy, our customer in the IT and Telecommunications industry was successfully recruiting graduates from prestigious top-tier universities. However, like many other organizations, they encountered a skills gap in the newly hired talent. Despite their academic excellence, these individuals lacked the practical expertise needed to make an immediate impact on the organization’s projects.

The challenges the customer faced were clear from the start: establishing the essential expertise and infrastructure to train the new employees effectively, and aligning them with the company’s work culture, values, and organizational structure. In addition, while these individuals possessed great talent, they lacked the skills to deliver a significant return on investment for the customer and its overall business.

To address these challenges, we jointly identified two critical business areas for which we created additional training:

  • Full-Stack Development (FSD).
  • Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET).

We designed these training programs to equip the new hires with the skills and knowledge necessary to bridge the existing skills gap and enable them to become valuable contributors to the company’s success.

Full-Stack Development (FSD) program

  • Building a code.
  • Database management.
  • Troubleshooting.
  • Programming interfaces.
  • Architecture programming a browser/server.

Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) program

  • Testing beyond unit testing.
  • Test-driven development.
  • Data-driven testing.
  • Fundamental testing techniques.
  • Understanding dependencies.
  • Understanding testability.

Leveraging Xebia’s Digital Ninja 2.0 program

After assessing the challenges discussed with the IT and Communications customer, we knew that most shortcomings stemmed from recent graduates lacking practical knowledge. To tackle this common issue, we introduced a strategic solution called Digital Ninja 2.0, custom-tailored to meet the customer’s specific needs.

An in-depth analysis led to the creation of a meticulously crafted curriculum, ensuring that the graduates became deployment-ready employees. The implemented learning solution comprised various elements, including:

  • Capstone Projects
  • Practical Assignments
  • Quizzes
  • Games

Regular assessments were conducted to monitor and track the learners’ progress. Additionally, we fostered a strong sense of community among the cohorts, encouraging peer learning and support. To deliver key concepts effectively, we ensured that industry practitioners were involved in the teaching process, to provide practical, real-world insights and expertise.

Building a customized solution
based on Xebia’s “PAIR” methodology

With over 20 years of extensive software development experience, Xebia is well-equipped to deliver a practical curriculum supported by a network of 500+ certified coaches. Our PAIR Methodology revolves around four pillars:

  • Providing hands-on learning experiences.
  • Aligning training with the core business requirements.
  • Improving learning efficiency.
  • Return on Investment philosophy.

Based on this core philosophy, we have developed a curriculum called “Digital Ninja 2.0” that is tailored to meet the specific needs of our clients. The curriculum focuses on practical projects and exercises in Full-Stack Development and SDET (Software Development and Engineering Testing). While software development requires theoretical understanding, Xebia is trusted to bring application layer expertise to the table.

The program involves a close partnership with the client’s point of contact to define the curriculum, cohort launch dates, projects, and relevant exercises. Dividing the students into smaller batches and assigning them engaging group names allows for focused attention and personalized support.

The flagship program aims to empower learners to become more impactful professionals under the guidance of domain knowledge experts, with a specific focus on Full-Stack Development and Software Testing. Throughout the program, learners embark on a curated learning journey with a feedback loop from subject matter expert coaches. Core competencies are identified and strategically deployed to fine-tune learning outcomes within a short cohort format to enhance their core skills.

Xebia’s customized learning path for the cohort takes a holistic approach, focusing on competencies and selecting specific learning outcomes:

“With a clear outcome upon program completion, four out of five cohorts’ competence scores moved from a scale of 25/100 to 75/100 by the end of the training program.”

Developing skills critical to a “project-ready workforce”

“Project Readiness” matters because it enables an organization to identify learning patterns and analyze and invest in continuous upskilling initiatives to drive revenue. Moreover, strengthening practical and functional skills can help an individual develop creative solutions to challenges.

With a clear outcome upon program completion, four out of five cohorts’ competence scores moved from a scale of 25/100 to 75/100 by the end of the training program.

The students were divided into five distinct batches, with each team’s performance meticulously analyzed. In addition, an in-depth assessment was conducted for each individual student, culminating in the creation of a comprehensive report that tracked their progress from the beginning to the end of the program.

To foster a culture of excellence, the most successful batches were duly recognized and rewarded for each milestone achieved.

Impact

A notable development in the assigned project was the creation of a web-based bookstore with advanced search capabilities based on authors, titles, and categories. A system requirement was to facilitate the establishment of user and admin profiles to improve the overall user experience. The admin view had to provide comprehensive control, allowing administrators to update products, adjust prices, manage inventory, and handle customer interactions. Customers also needed to be able to create profiles and enter their shipping information.

Not only did the new hires find these projects engaging, but they were also exceptionally motivated, allowing the generation of comprehensive reports on their overall performance. These reports delved into their enthusiasm, work ethic, and aptitude for assuming various roles, painting a comprehensive picture of their capabilities and contributions.

Participants seamlessly integrated into the client’s projects and proactively contributed to the workplace. The holistic development approach used in the program resulted in significant changes in each employee, removing the “new hire” label and making them indistinguishable from their experienced peers.

Four keys to success

The customized approach that we offered at Xebia Academy proved to be instrumental in these key topics.

02

Efficiently training a large number of employees within a limited timeframe

02

Transforming untapped potential into a project-ready workforce

03

Providing significant skill development across cohorts by the end of the program

04

Delivering a training curriculum that can drive revenue in the short and long term