Encourage managers to re-nominate an employee who was not previously selected for the program. Topics covered in the interactive workshops include leadership, management, problem solving, teamwork, interpersonal skills and communication skills. A self-initiated training program is then developed in conjunction with the participant's supervisor and with the approval of the publisher. It is the newspaper's and the participant's responsibility to make sure training activities are completed within the year. Quarterly progress and evaluation reports are submitted to the group office by both the publishers and the participants.
Strong competition exists for the coveted seats in the program.
Seventy-five percent of this year's class came from advertising, news and circulation. Of the 51 employees who participated in the program during the past two years, two have been promoted to department director positions at Midwest newspapers. Eight percent transferred to Gannett newspapers outside the Midwest Group. To make a career development program successful, buy-in must come from the top. The publisher has to convey the need to develop local talent to the supervisors.