Becoming a Facility Services Manager in 18 months - that is the goal of the management trainee program. With Ufuk Topyürek (33) and Chacko Stephen (28), ISS now has two additional highly qualified executives with global networks. Read on to find out where their career paths lead next.
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When Ufuk Topyürek watches a soccer game these days, he no longer focuses solely on the ball. Ever since his cleaning shift at Letzigrund Stadium, he’s also been keeping an eye on the stands. “It’s unbelievable what people leave behind in a stadium,” says the trained hotel manager. “I once found a crate of tomatoes. But obviously the right team won, because the crate was still full.” His training partner, Chacko Stephen, remembers a landscaping assignment in particular: “I had massively underestimated the work and thought it would take two to three hours. I was surprised that we ended up spending two days weeding and pruning plants.”
Diverse Insights for Better Foresight
Chacko Stephen and Ufuk Topyürek began the Management Trainee Program in September 2019. The first phase of the training involves working in operations. These experiences have a particularly profound impact on the trainees, as this phase provides a fundamental understanding of the work in this area. A good manager knows the needs of their employees, the demands of their work, and the expectations of customers. Those who know what they’re talking about will be better leaders later on.
Chacko Stephen is working on the implementation of a new mandate.
This fundamental understanding makes working with key accounts much easier. Through the various industries and segments in which ISS operates globally and in Switzerland, management trainees gain comprehensive insight. This provides guidance for their future careers. To further broaden their international perspective, the trainees gain experience on an ISS assignment outside of Switzerland during the penultimate phase of their training. Chacko Stephen’s assignment abroad in London was in jeopardy due to the current situation. Thanks to a work-from-home arrangement, he was still able to travel to London. Ufuk Topyürek’s experience unfolded differently: Shortly before his planned trip abroad, the Graubünden native received an internal job offer. He accepted it and was promoted early - even before completing the trainee program.
Ufuk Topyürek works as a Facility Services Manager on a finance-related assignment.
A Program for a Rapid Career Advancement
The Management Trainee Program has opened doors for both Chacko Stephen and Ufuk Topyürek. It paved the way for both managers to reach their current positions and enabled them to make a rapid entry into facility management. Both agree: “The global network we built and the experience we gained are the biggest assets in our day-to-day work.” Chacko Stephen adds: “This training shaped who I am. I’d do it all over again.” Ufuk Topyürek nods in agreement, even though the classic “déformation professionnelle” has changed the way he views soccer games at the stadium.
About the ISS Management Trainee Program
The ISS Management Trainee Program is an 18-month training program to become a Facility Services Manager. The program consists of various phases covering the operational, strategic, regional, and global aspects of facility management. The goal of the trainee program is to assume a leadership position at ISS upon successful completion.