Madi Pilgrim, UK Human Resources Director for National Express, explains to Jade Smith how the operator’s graduate scheme, which covers both the bus and coach sides of the business, is unique in its approach
National Express (NX) has graduate programmes in each of its business units: Spain, America and the UK. The UK scheme, called the ‘National Express Group Graduate Management Trainee Programme’, is headed by Madi Pilgrim, UK Human Resources Director.
I first spoke to Madi at the end of 2017 when the National Express Network’s annual international graduate gathering was due to take place in Madrid. She told me the operator is unique in that it links all its worldwide graduates together.
Background
In the past NX’s graduate scheme covered the group as a whole which was then replaced with separate schemes in the bus business and coach business six years ago. In September 2017 those two schemes were blended together into a new UK scheme which covers both bus and coach.
“I personally went through a graduate scheme with Go-Ahead which was very good, but a lot of them can be very prescriptive,” Madi said. “When a graduate starts, they are typically presented with a two-year plan of what they will do with various departments. I think businesses need to be more flexible than that.
“As our UK scheme is quite small, with up to six new graduates each year, it can be more bespoke. The first few months is a fixed programme but then we tailor it according to what each graduate’s skills and interests are.”
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Recruiting
Reflecting the popularity of NX’s graduate scheme, Madi explained: “In the past we would receive around 500 applicants for three or four positions, but in 2016 we had nearly 800 applicants.
“The recruitment process is very difficult, and the applicants are put through their paces. Our focus isn’t just on people with good academic qualifications, we want well-rounded individuals who are genuinely interested in working for us. Most of the applicants have applied to other graduate schemes in different industries – we specifically want those who are interested in public transport and are keen to make a difference. We don’t require a degree in a specific subject, although we have some with transport manager qualifications, but equally we have people with degrees in psychology and history.
“In the application we request details around the competencies we’re looking for, ask them to substantiate what they do and what their ideas are with examples. Every application is read by ourselves – no external recruitment firms get involved.”
Madi explained that after shortlisting, there is an assessment programme in the September which consists of an interview, writing a report on a topic and carrying out a presentation. Candidates aren’t informed of the topic beforehand, due to the potential issue of plagiarism. They aren’t expected to be a specialist in the bus and coach industry, but to have done their research and have an interest in it.
A group exercise is carried out, as teamwork is vital at NX,” Madi said. “They will work in a team in the business and often end up managing one in the future. There are also verbal, numeracy and psychometric tests.
“Finally, there is an interview with a couple of the directors, usually a week later. The entire testing period is completed within a fortnight which is swifter than most other graduate schemes.
“Work experience is offered over the summer which some graduates take up before starting formally in the September. The induction process is quite comprehensive – the graduates navigate a road trip around the UK using NX coaches. Upon their return they present their initial views of the business to the Board of Directors.”
Qualifications
While the graduate training provides solid groundwork, Madi said it doesn’t necessarily equip them with the knowledge required to understand marketing or commercial strategies, for example. To combat this, NX developed a partnership with Aston Business School, based in Birmingham, which delivers courses focused on the realities of business life, not just theoretical models.
Madi explained: “All graduates now complete a diploma in management over two years which has been tailored specifically for NX. In the finance module the annual results from our competitors are used to compare key themes with our own results.
“It’s not an off-the-shelf course, which is what we like about that partnership. Once completed, the graduates can top the qualification up to get a Master of Business Administration (MBA).”
The NX graduates must also attain a PCV licence and drive a bus in service as part of the scheme. Not only does that give them an excellent understanding of the drivers’ role and how tough the job can be, but it also provides them with personal credibility. In the future when they are managing those people they will have a personal awareness of what the job is like.
“Some graduates will be quite hesitant about driving and then a couple of weeks later they’ve grown to love operating a bus,” Madi enthused. “It’s great to see that transition as they develop within the scheme.”
A global business
A graduate with NX is part of the global National Express Network, an international community of graduates which links members from across the world to undertake joint development work (at home and abroad), learn from each other and maximise their individual potential. It was launched in December 2015 at the University of Warwick.
Madi said: “Dean Finch, our Chief Executive, has always been very clear that NX is a global business and he expects managers to be global in their mindset. These people are the leaders of the future, so they need to understand what it is like to operate buses and coaches elsewhere in the world.
“Once the graduates have gained some skills and are perhaps in a junior management role, we then expose them to opportunities across the globe. It’s a unique opportunity which they are fortunate to have available to them.”
Late last year, NX’s annual international graduate gathering was held in Madrid. Around 60 international graduates and high potentials came together to share knowledge and to meet other colleagues. Those who attend are expected to return with some tangible outputs to implement in their own business.
Madi was quick to explain that the gathering isn’t exclusive to graduates: “There are fantastic people in our business that don’t come through the graduate route: it’s just one pipeline for our leadership for the future. High potentials are individuals who have worked their way up the business, so they are included in the network. Graduates could be seen as an elite or exclusive group but that’s not the case at NX. By including other brilliant individuals in the network, it creates diversity and an improved blend of experience.
“Dean Finch always supports these graduate events. There’s a dinner with Dean on the first night and the following morning a presentation followed by a Q&A.”
Madi explained that the British, Spanish and American sections of NX work separately but come together within the international network. There are three HR Directors, one in each country, who compare notes about their working practices and the graduate schemes have become increasingly flexible due to this.
“In the UK we blend experience with bus and coach in the operating environment, head office and third-party operators, so the graduates see the business from all angles,” Madi explained. “The graduates tend to progress through roles quickly. For some, operations might not be for them, so they’ll go into project roles.
“The Spanish part of the business has a slightly different model to us, employing college leavers as well as graduates and recruiting up to 100 in total every year. Some will progress through a formal graduate scheme and others will just carry out a placement.
“The American business started its graduate recruitment three years ago, slightly later than the UK, but they’re recruiting higher numbers.”
Opportunities
“The traditional graduate scheme model involves going through everything for a set period – that’s since changed,” Madi said. “Projects and opportunities will crop up as we receive requests from various areas of the business. We take graduates out of their placements for a few months to work on other projects – it’s a good opportunity and just involves re-jigging their placement. Some have joined the international bidding team and one has seconded to help with our Group commercial strategy for two months. They’re very lucky to have these opportunities.”
Graduates are also given the opportunity to carry out charity work in Africa with Transaid, which NX supports. This came about after Madi spoke to some people from the haulage industry who included it as part of their graduates’ personal development.
“Each year, two graduates spend two months with Transaid, which improves their confidence,” Madi said. “With one graduate it helped her so much it aided in securing her next promotion, as it’s an environment that demands independence and self-sufficiency.”
Personal touch
Madi’s personal experience with the Go-Ahead graduate scheme has helped shape NX’s scheme today: “Chris Moyes was my mentor and he then went on to become the Chief Executive. What I learnt from him was invaluable. He had me do a monthly report to challenge constructively what I had witnessed in the business.
“I’ve taken that discipline to the graduates in the UK – they submit a monthly report of their ideas, illustrated with photographs. Face-to-face review meetings take place and they have a senior mentor to get additional information from.”
Demonstrating the supportive environment of the graduate scheme, Madi detailed how all the graduates socialise with each other independently from the business, organising go-karting nights or going out for a meal, for example.
“Graduates could be competing against each other but instead they provide mutual support which is exactly what we want,” Madi enthused. “A month before new graduates start in September, they come together for a lunch with all the existing graduates. There are no formalities – it’s just meeting everyone which prevents them from being nervous when they officially start.”
Cost vs. benefit
“This industry is one where finding time can be difficult and finances are constantly being squeezed,” Madi acknowledged. “Our graduate scheme is a big investment, but we are reaping the benefits because our graduate turnover is low. Graduate agencies talk of graduates moving on after two or three years, but we’ve had very few leave us. Perhaps part of that is due to the fact we’re able to move them around the business so they don’t become stale.
“One example is Stephanie Maher (interviewed by CBW in May 2017), a graduate who joined us after completing a degree in law and worked her way up into the role of operations manager. She is currently finishing an MBA with Aston Business School, was seconded to America and is now being offered a permanent role there.”
Final thoughts
Madi’s closing words were: “NX is proud of its graduate scheme and I think we stand out from the other groups, particularly with our international network and taking a global approach with graduates. It makes sense as we are a global group looking for global leaders.”
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