Youth unemployment is a well-documented global phenomenon. Each generation of school leavers and university graduates encounters increasing obstacles to entering the workforce.

Like being given the keys to your dad’s car before even knowing how to drive, the Adecco Group’s ‘CEO for One Month’ programme is a powerful eye-opener for those who take part.

Applications are now open for young people all over the world to enter the programme to become leaders across 48 countries in the Adecco Group’s global network. After completing their national ‘CEO for One Month’ assignment, ten of these talented candidates will be selected to attend a rigorous but inspiring boot camp where their collaboration and innovation skills will be tested.  The only one will then be selected to work alongside Group CEO, Alain Dehaze, for one month. It is the experience of a lifetime and has a long-lasting impact on the individuals who take part. In 2017, India saw 6500+ applicants for the CEO for the one-month internship.

Youth unemployment is a well-documented global phenomenon. Each generation of school leavers and university graduates encounters increasing obstacles to entering the workforce. Over the last few years, the technological advances of the fourth industrial revolution have created jobs that require new skills and competencies which are increasingly specific. Against this background, education systems are starting to focus on technical and digital skills, governments are establishing more vocational oriented courses, and companies and organisations are working hard to provide work-based training opportunities like apprenticeships.

The CEO for One Month programme epitomises the Adecco Group’s aim to provide young people with real-world opportunities and help them thrive through the power of work. The invaluable insights gained from such an experience cannot be taught at school or shared in university lectures. Alain Dehaze, the Adecco Group CEO, comments:

“Our ‘CEO for One Month’ programme specifically targets ambitious young talent, providing them with a life-changing opportunity. They can boost their employability by learning on the job at the helm of a leading multinational company. They literally get to experience what it’s like to run a company – it’s an amazing privilege and unique learning process.”

The 2017 Global ‘CEO for One Month’, Ed Broadhead, a graduate from the UK, added

“I cannot recommend the programme enough! It has changed my life. Nothing compares to sitting with executive committee members of a Fortune Global 500 company making real decisions about real life strategies. I gained exposure to the world of work, international business and a network of incredible people that would otherwise be unobtainable.”

“This is the third consecutive year that Adecco India is participating in The Adecco Group’s ‘CEO for One Month’ initiative. This uniquely formatted program essentially gives all interested people, irrespective of any qualifying criteria other than being at least 18 years old, an opportunity to experience the life of a country CEO of Adecco. The selected individuals, after completing a month in their respective country, are given a chance to replicate this experience for another month – with The Adecco Group’s global CEO. This is an unparalleled opportunity that only The Adecco Group provides to experience first-hand the internal working of a large multinational corporation and the effort that goes in to make it successful. It also provides a solid platform to learn directly under the mentorship of the CEO, thus giving ambitious young people perspectives that can otherwise take years of experience to attain. We had an impressive response from applicants in India last year. Hence I eagerly look forward to receiving many more entries, and meeting some of the most enterprising and driven people in our country.” added Priyanshu Singh, Country Manager & MD, Adecco Group India.