Sodexo Facilities - Investing in our People
By Suzanne Thompson, Senior Recruiter

One of the great benefits of working for Sodexo is the investment the company makes in its employees. In an era where many companies are cutting back in training and development, Sodexo has not only maintained its traditional education benefits, it has also sought to find creative new ways to invest in employees whose preference and need might require a non-traditional approach.

A great example of this is the way that Sodexo’s use of on-line and web based training programs for management and frontline staff is creating new opportunities for employees in our facilities business to grow and further develop their careers. Georganne Georges, a National Director of Engineering for Sodexo, notes that Sodexo partnered with TPC Training to provide web based training to employees, giving non-traditional students the opportunity to enhance their skills.

The training offers hundreds of modules within the core topics of Technical, Safety and Department of Transportation. Within the technical section, topics range from blueprint reading, carpentry, HVAC, plumbing and many more topics. Each module provides the employee with the opportunity for certification. This skill based training can also be paired through Sodexo partnerships with local colleges that offer degree programs, supported through Sodexo’s tuition reimbursement program.

Phillip Messer, Operations Manager at Sodexo’s OU Medical Center

The investment in new approaches is already having an impact on our employees’ professional development. This success is exemplified by Phillip Messer, an Operations Manager at Sodexo’s OU Medical Center account who received his associate degree in business administration with an emphasis in facilities engineering management though a collaboration of the Sodexo TPC training modules and additional classes from our partnership with Rose State College through Sodexo’s tuition reimbursement program. Phillip says, "This collaboration has paved my career path in healthcare facilities with opportunities to grow within Sodexo by allowing me the flexibility to earn my degree in a non-traditional setting." Phillip is currently continuing his education working towards a Bachelor degree.

The TPC training program is being rolled out Nationwide to all facility divisions within Sodexo. To hear more about this program, listen to Georganne Georges and Bob Bridges, National Directors of Engineering for Sodexo talk about TPC training at Sodexo here.