Compass Group India expands skill development network with the launch of ‘Gurukool’ in Bengaluru

Bangalore, 22nd November 2024: Compass Group India, the fastest-growing food and facility management services provider, inaugurated its second onsite fully equipped skill centre, ‘Gurukool,’ in Bengaluru. This state-of-the-art facility marks an important addition to Compass Group’s growing network of skill development centres, bringing the total number across India to six. As a unified training hub, Gurukool provides a comprehensive solution for the training and development needs of both new hires and existing employees.

Commenting on the launch, Vikas Chawla, Managing Director of Compass Group India, said, “At Compass Group India, our people are our greatest asset, and investing in their growth and well-being is fundamental to our success. Gurukool is more than just a training centre—it is a platform for empowerment, where we are preparing our teams for excellence and also building a culture that values career progression, client-centric service, and operational innovation. As we continue to expand, initiatives like Gurukool enable us to cultivate a skilled and motivated workforce, leading to hospitality excellent and improving client satisfaction. A thriving workforce is central to Compass Group India’s growth while staying deeply aligned with our commitment to employee care.”

Gurukool also aims to hire employees from diverse backgrounds and train them in the ‘Compass Way’ before deploying them to client sites, thereby enhancing service quality, high employee retention, and operational excellence. Moreover, the comprehensive Career Acceleration Program at Gurukool enables employees to grow within the organisation and reach leadership positions such as unit managers and above. By equipping staff with the knowledge and competencies necessary to succeed, Gurukool contributes to a well-prepared workforce that can seamlessly meet the unique needs of each client.

The centre is equipped with dedicated resources like classrooms, a mock kitchen, cafés, and beverage spaces, providing a simulated environment for nurturing and developing talent. Over the next year, Gurukool aims to train more than 750 employees, covering over 40 training topics per week. These training programs will focus on areas like brand orientation, hospitality excellence training, F&B and Culinary roles, all delivered by the centre’s team of specialized trainers.

To ensure a smooth onboarding process, Gurukool will standardise and streamline the first 90 days of an employee’s journey through training passports. This approach will guarantee that only trained and assessed employees are deployed to client sites, resulting in enhanced consumer experience, engaged and motivated teams, and better retention.

Compass Group India plans to scale up the Gurukool model to its locations in Hyderabad and Gurgaon in the near future, further strengthening its commitment to developing a skilled and future-ready workforce.

HCLTech and ServiceNow Launch Cutting-Edge AI Labs to Enhance Global Reach

NOIDA, India, Nov 16, 2024—HCLTech, a leading global technology company, today announced a new node in its global AI & Cloud Native Lab partner network through a collaboration with long-time partner ServiceNow.

The companies today inaugurated a dedicated facility in HCLTech’s Noida campus, where customers can pilot, navigate and scale innovative solutions to address industry-specific challenges. The same experiences will also be accessible in the HCLTech AI & Cloud Native Lab in London.

“Establishing the AI Lab in partnership with ServiceNow is a testament to our 12-year partnership and commitment to delivering value to our clients, allowing them to test and learn in a simulated environment,” said Jagadeshwar Gattu, President, Digital Foundation Services at HCLTech. “The early adoption and scaling of GenAI capabilities will help businesses unlock new efficiencies and enhance continuous service delivery to drive business transformation.”

“Our expanded partnership with HCLTech will help us to accelerate AI adoption for more customers in the UK and India,” said Michael Park, SVP and Global Head of AI GTM at ServiceNow. “These Labs will help empower customers to take control of their AI investments and unlock new levels of productivity and profitability across the enterprise.”

The Labs leverage HCLTech’s industry-leading and proven methodologies for clients to navigate GenAI and agentic AI journeys with ServiceNow, driving efficiencies in the areas of ESM (enterprise service management) and industry verticals.

In addition to proprietary assets including HCLTech AI Force and Enterprise AI Foundry, the Labs will include assets built with accelerators and frameworks modeled for the ServiceNow platform. Those include ValueNow, to assess GenAI readiness; ComplyNow, to assess and identify key security and risk areas; and AchieveNow, to help customers optimize GenAI value and outcomes.