In August 2007, the President and the Director of Practices (Claudio Covelli) of Dillon brought together a group of eight employees, each with less than 10 years' experience, and charged them with the task of leading an in-house initiative. The group became known as the Next Generation Development Team (NextGen) and they were empowered to create an enriched program for high-calibre new graduates integrating into Dillon. Now in its third year of operation, The President's Crew program allows new graduates to work on diverse and challenging projects, and prepares participants to stay ahead of the curve in our rapidly changing society. Canadian and global issues of resource management, environmental protection, transportation planning and sustainable development require new and ground-breaking approaches that extend beyond technical foundations. The President's Crew program helps participants hone their innovative and leadership skills through a series of corporate initiatives, a focus on multi-disciplinary projects, training opportunities and senior guidance. "Crew" members are given the opportunity to contribute within the company and make suggestions on how to improve the company overall. The over-arching goal of the program is not simply to improve the technical competency of the firm, but to train the future leaders of the company. This program was nominated for the TAC 2009 Educational Achievement Award. For the covering abstract of this conference see ITRD number E220308.
Abstract