When one becomes the customer ...

Some people say Information Technology is a business enabler, other ones that it is a support system and many mention it is a service. Most people agree we always have a customer focus and it is one of our main drivers.

During this rotation I have been working in the Network environment to maintain the quality that Six Sigma excelence standards give us.

For the first time since I started the IMLP I had the chance to interact with vendors and telecom carriers, making us the customer in this case. It is a very interesting perspective as we need to define our requirements, standards and needs and that is not as easy as it seems.

GE is a worldwide company and when defining global processes we cannot forget how different each region, country or even site are, so the program manager challenge is not to lose that global mindset when drilling down to low level issues.

This rotation is giving me the capapbility to zoom in and out into project details without losing the objectives we have and thanks to the international scope, the chance to be working with teams in Asia, Europe and America teaches me one can fix things being thousands miles apart from the issue.

IMLP Internships in GE Aviation UK!

In order to keep on growing the IMLP in the UK, GE Aviation is recruiting IMLP Interns (also known as Co-Op or EID) for this summer in Cheltenham.

They will be the first ones to join GE Aviation in the UK as IMLP Interns and will be working closely with IMLPs based in Cheltenham. Exposure to leadership and an amazing learning experience is guaranteed.

Exciting rotations of one-year length will be available so they will understand how GE operates, the infrastructure and services we provide while are mentored to develop new skills.

This initiative is part of the effort the recruiting team is putting to bring top talent to the UK IMLP.

Please, find more details and how to apply here.

We are looking forward to working with you!

UK Technology Infrastructure IMLP Events

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sjdunphy/2914939372/Last month we had the chance to meet face-to-face with our IMLP Champion for Aviation, a CIO from one of our Aviation businesses. He flew from our Headquarters in Cincinnati to the UK to spend some time understanding our processes and initiatives we are running here.

UK Healthcare IMLP's joined us from Amersham for a site tour in our GE Aviation Systems facilities in Bishops Cleeve, Cheltenham. We shared best practices to keep on improving the IMLP in the region and met local leadership to better understand business needs.

After going out around Cheltenham, some of our colleagues were amazed by this town in the heart of the Cotswolds! You can find more information here about Cheltenham and its sorroundings.

Technology Infrastructure IMLPs meet at least quarterly, so we can increase our network and keep on building the talent pipeline in the UK.

IMLP in the UK

Welcome to the first in a soon-to-be regular weekly series of posts from the IMLPs in the UK.  There are currently just 14 of us, but that is soon to expand to over 20 in the coming year, and we’re very excited!

Before starting IMLP, I was working as a full-time engineer with GE for 2 years.  So, to kick-off this series I’m going to tell you about IMLP in the UK and why I gave up my engineering job to move back on to a training program. 

I started back in 2007 for GE Aviation Systems in Cheltenham as a Systems Engineer working on avionics products.  This was a role I enjoyed immensely but towards the end of my second year I was ready for a new challenge, which was when I discovered IMLP. 

IMLP gave me the opportunity to get leadership and project management experience sooner than I would have been able to otherwise. 

Add to this the world-class training we receive and the huge peer and alumni network IMLPs have and I didn’t have to think twice.  I now get the opportunity to regularly meet with the senior leadership of our business, and the great thing is; they genuinely listen to our ideas.

Never without: Laptop, Blackberry, VPN tokenOne of the perks of the UK programme for me has been to be part of a global, mobile workforce.  I work with teams in the USA and India on a daily basis and I can work from anywhere with an internet connection (including home!).

 In fact I am writing this post from a GE Healthcare office in Milwaukee WI.  I’ll be hopping on a plane back to the UK next week, just in time to meet some prospective new IMLPs at Warwick University on the 19^th October.  See you there!

Bangalore IMLPs: Weekend Trips

Gaurav, Rahul, Priya, Neeraj, Sourabh, Ramesh and Shireen beside the Coorg coffee plantationsOne of the advantages of being in the IMLP program is that you always have a big circle of friends to hang out with. If I want to plan a weekend trip, I always have a big gang of IMLPs to accompany me.

We, the IMLPs from Bangalore, made the best use of the long weekends in 2009 when we decided to go on outstation trips.

In the month of March, 5 IMLPs and 2 FMPs headed off to Coorg (also known as Kodagu) in the Western Ghats of southwest Karnataka, India.

Coorg is a nature lover’s paradise famous for its Coffee and Cardomom plantations, variety of flora and fauna, beautiful waterfalls, and scenic surroundings. On our way to Coorg, we also passed through the town of Srirangapatna (known for its historic importance) and through the beautiful Nagarhole forests.

We stayed in Bamboo cottages located on a hill slope close to the Brahmagiri forests,  trekked through the forests and  visited the Iruppu waterfalls. We spent the night beside a bonfire on the hill reliving out junior bootcamp memories!

On our way back, we also visited Bylakuppe, which is one of the biggest Tibetian settlements in India known for its handicrafts and monasteries. We were amazed by the beauty of the Namdroling Monastery, which is the largest Nyingmapa teaching center in the world. The huge golden idols, the ornate altar, the spiral columns adorned with dragons and divine figures mesmerized all of us.

In the month of April, my next weekend trip happened with 3 other IMLPs to Goa in the west coast of India.  Goa is known for its beautiful beaches, water sports, vibrant nightlife, rave parties, flea markets, old forts and churches.

We spent most of our time at the beaches doing water sports (like parasailing and water skiing), enjoying the beach parties and savoring the seafood and the Goan cuisine.

A special mention must go to the locally brewed Goan drink called Feni that is made from coconut flower stalk or the fruit of the cashew tree. We visited the Baga beach, the Calangute beach, the Chapora fort and the church of St. Francis. We also visited the Saturday night market at Arpora, which has buyers and sellers from all over the world, artists performing on stage, food stalls from tandoori to Italian and a lively atmosphere.

All in all – Great fun!

Post Submitted by IMLP Blog Guest Author: N. Ramesh