Company: UST Global, Aliso Viejo, CA
Company Description: UST Global is a leading provider of end- to-end IT Services and Solutions for Global 1000 companies. Established in 1998 and headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California, UST Global has operations in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa. Our business model of ‘fewer CLIENTS, more ATTENTION’, provides clients with the best service and commitment to long-term client success.
Nomination Category: Human Resources Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Human Resources Team of the Year

Nomination Title: Business Strategy that goes beyond just Business

Tell the story about what this nominated team achieved since January 1 2013 (up to 525 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

In the journey since the New Year 2014, every day has been exciting because we have seen our prestigious project ‘Step IT Up America’ (SIUA)making steady progress. With the intent of contributing significantly to the knowledge economy, we launched SIUA in November 2013.

SIUA is a national program of UST Global, providing a vital formula to train and employ inner-city minority women, taking them from local community colleges through the development of technological skills. Our immediate commitment is to train and employ 1,000 inner-city African American women in ten cities in the US. Information technology jobs, along with other STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) jobs are the largest job creators in America and globally. Yet women are severely underrepresented in this area. Through SIUA, selected women go through intensive training and once they graduate from our program, we will hire them as Information technologists.

Our CEO Sajan Pillai envisages a future born out of the desire to create a program that connects to the heart and soul for fundamental social change. Nevertheless, this will be a self-sustaining and revenue-generating model. As the women are trained and employed by us, the costs associated with the program will turn into revenue. Though this grand project entails a financial risk, we believe it is a risk worth taking.

As with all unique projects, the journey was not easy. We had to work very hard to convince our stakeholders that this was an innovative revenue-generating model aimed at significantly impacting the organization. As we went along with single minded focus, employing change management strategies at a different level, we were joined by community leaders who were touched by our passion.

Innovative HR tools

Talent acquisition and training the right candidates have been our biggest challenges. Without impacting our global selection process, we applied our learning in talent acquisition and training in a completely different way. We have been employing innovative methods of sourcing, screening, and coaching the candidates since we’re dealing with a new population. We hired a dedicated coach for our candidates in each location because they needed hand holding. To instil confidence in our customers who would be absorbing the successful candidates, we had them visit the training facilities and interact with them.

Training, our core strength

The SIUA training is extremely customized since we had no precedents to go by even within the industry. We replicated what we do globally for thousands of our employees at SIUA in a grander and pioneering fashion. We created a niche and innovative methodology. Some highlights are:

a. Mode of coaching: Each batch of candidates has a culturally aligned coach, who mentors the candidates and manages the overall learning process.

b. Alternate learning methods: There is extensive use of experiential learning methods using simulations and e-learning.

c. Scientific assessments: Continuous assessments using industry-accepted metrics and standards are incorporated into the course.

d. Continuous feedback and monitoring

e. Qualified facilitators: The facilitators are practitioners chosen based on their expertise, cultural and social alignment.

f. The curriculum is also customized to client requirements.

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Provide a brief (up to 125 words) biography about the leader(s) of the nominated team:

Manu Gopinath is the Global Head of Human Resources, responsible for all key aspects of UST Global's human capital including resource planning and deployment, performance management, engagement, retention, rewards, training, development and succession.

Manu spearheaded the transformation of UST's HR practices to be more business focused and results driven by creating and maturing the vertical focused business partner team and shared services team within HR. Prior to his HR roles, Manu held a number of management positions across diverse areas.

Manu earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Mahatma Gandhi University, India and an MBA from University of Calicut, India. He is a graduate of Executive Program from UCLA Anderson School of Management where he also completed the Advanced Program in Human Resource Management.

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