My three day Hewitt induction and raft building…
Wednesday 2nd September
After negotiating the windy roads of deepest, darkest Oxfordshire I parked up outside the training centre. After checking into a luxurious double room with ensuite bathroom I rejoined my fellow graduates with a sense of mystery and excitement. Daf and Julie had been very mysterious about the activities which our time would involve so I was worried about being dumped in the woods somewhere and being left to fend for ourselves! Although not as brutal the task we were initially faced with was just as challenging. We struggled to remember a series of knots required a hold a raft together which consisted of a series of wooden bars and 4 barrels.
Another of the morning's tasks involved an imaginary ravine which we needed to cross using a series of planks. After a series of miscommunications and accidental plunges down the ravine we were blindfolded and ordered to start again! The session ended with a post mortem from Daf and we concluded that we needed to work as a team if we were going to succeed with similar tasks later in the week.
Next came a chance to test our new raft building skills as we faced a race against the other teams to construct and race our crafts across a lake. After finishing a relatively sea worthy vessel we took to the water. On the first crossing we veered dangerously toward a tangle with 2 of the other boats and resulted in being some way behind the leaders for the return journey. We gained a third place finish with a last minute push as the collective might of our fine oarsmen was unleashed. A less competitive race was then contested and the rowers turned on each other. Repetitive splashing and an over forceful docking resulted in a few people requiring a shower before lunch including Daffyd!
The afternoon gave us a chance to relax and learn a bit about what we can expect over the next couple of weeks as Hewitt graduates. We watched a video from the Hewitt CEO and received the briefs for a project which will conclude in us delivering a presentation on Friday. As if the all you can eat buffet lunch was not enough we were treated to a sit down 3 course meal of soup, duck and ice cream as well as a fair amount of table wine!
Thursday 3rd September
Our first physical task in an increasingly "Crystal Maze"-like series of activities was a large see saw which we had to balance with everyone standing on it. After a number of failed attempts with no real strategy the team pulled together and found a solution. With Danny's calves trembling he held the see saw in place as everyone mounted the plank. He then took a few seconds to blow his nose as the precious seconds ticked away before precariously stepping onto the see saw. 3 seconds of agonising stability meant we had completed the task and could see the effects of our improved teamwork.
Today was the presentation research day and people were required to conduct phone interviews with associates. Between the research other tasks were ongoing including one which led to Steve laughing "the most (he) ever had at a graduate induction". The task in question was a ferry crossing in which a small amount of equipment was available to help transport people to an island. After creating a meticulous plan we took to the water but unfortunately a series of comical errors including knot failure leading to the boat drifting away and us losing nearly all of the equipment which we used! Despite this we managed to achieve the most successful crossings (1!)
The afternoon included a treasure hunt task which involved drawing elephants and measuring the distance round a lake as well as other random challenges! The final task was another ravine crossing, this time with a suspended tyre. Again the team pulled together to result in the first successful crossing of the day.
The day ended with a barbeque and quiz. Our knowledge on Monsters INC and Cluedo helped us to a third place, one place above the facilitators team (sorry Julie!). We had discussed how our presentation would work earlier in the day and after hours of debate we decided to include a cardboard tree as a prop. Having decided that we had a tight time frame we ended up burning the midnight oil in order to construct the tree!
Friday 4th September
Friday was all about the presentations with the prospect sharing our ideas with a panel of senior associates. Our ideas began to take shape and we felt more confident about our novel approach which now included a Family Fortunes game show.
The other teams had similar briefs and presented their ideas very competently. Everyone was complemented on their confident presentation skills and thanked for our research which we were ensured would be taken on board, even by associates so senior in the organisation.
Having listened to feedback about our performance we could relax and watch a compilation of videos from the week including our disastrous raft building efforts! The week was a really good chance to get to know your fellow graduates at Hewitt as well as having a lot of fun.