As a global technology leader with a history of more than 130 years in Switzerland, ABB has grown from roots in many different countries and cultures around the world. Cultural and gender diversity was built into ABB’s DNA early on. With “Excelle”, ABB launched a program to promote and develop female trainees.

By Edoardo Ambrosi, University Relations and Early Talent Manager, ABB

Diversity is of utmost importance for ABB. Several projects in recent years made the potential of female talents more obvious than ever before. At early stages, ABB in Switzerland raises the interest of girls in technology by carrying out “Girls Technician Days” and taking part in the annual national “Zukunftstag”, addressing pupils of both genders. Furthermore, ABB has launched Excelle in 2018, a program dedicated to young female trainees who are part of the ABB graduate program across Europe. It was designed in close collaboration with the two expert partners Femtec and Catalyst.

“Like many technical companies, we would benefit greatly from having an even higher number of women in our business.”

Edoardo Ambrosi

Strengthen women’s empowerment in the high-tech world
Gender diversity is a key aspect to innovate and perform sustainably. “We are conscious of the need to open up the eyes of both male and female employees on gender diversity aspects, gender bias and highlight the positive impact of diversity”, says Ambrosi. “Excelle offers young female talents the opportunity to develop and fully embrace their potential. Acting in the early stages of the career, the program helps female trainees understand how they are positioned in the company, how they can showcase their strengths and skills and how they can successfully act in today’s high-tech environment being represented by mainly male colleagues”, Ambrosi explained further.

Learn, share and network
The program consists of three sessions, during which the trainees exchange ideas and expand their network. The sessions take place over a period of ten months, overlapping with the trainee program. They focus on communication skills, defining one’s own role, diversity and agile working in a constantly changing environment. The topics are discussed in face-to-face and virtual sessions from a theoretical point of view, as well as directly implemented and practiced. In addition, the project fosters networking and experience sharing, making sure all trainees can rely on a sound network of peers.

Continuous development to stay up to date
The Excelle program has reached its second round with some 20 participants across Europe and will be further developed based on feedback from the participants. “We constantly review and adapt the modules based on the feedback we get from participants and the business”, outlines Ambrosi. Based on this input, topics such as agility and self-reflection were given greater focus. Regular reviews and adjustments help the program evolve. “We constantly adjust the content, while maintaining the perspective of gender diversity. Our aim is to provide an original and “out of the box” experience to all participants,” concluded Ambrosi.

High grade of appreciation
The female trainees feel empowered for having the opportunity to attend ABB’s Excelle program. The support from the business is crucial for the program’s success, as they embrace it, providing the trainees with opportunities to participate. As a matter of fact, the program was developed and introduced because the businesses voiced the need for greater gender diversity during the regular HR strategy meetings.

Currently, the program will be conducted for a total of three consecutive trainee groups, until 2020. The project team continues to gather feedbacks from the participants and regularly communicates internally with the business and externally via Social Media and Campus activities.

Embrace the full potential
For ABB, Excelle is an important initiative to foster female talents in technical fields. It offers a unique opportunity to develop and realize the full potential of young female talents in order to contribute to a greater gender diversity in teams – and with that, to even better performance. Furthermore, it attracts young female talents to join the company. In the future, we at ABB are looking forward to continuing this learning experience and exciting journey with our young female talents.