IBM's Corporate Services Corps (CSC) program

I love working for IBM. This company is the perfect fit for me and I am often asked by friends and family if I am 'paid to do marketing' by the company because I boast about various things on my facebook and at social  events. The whole reason for this blog is embodied by one of our corporate service corps programs.

Let me explain:

• IBM Corporate Service Corps is part of the Global Citizen's Portfolio (GCP) initiative announced by past CEO Sam Palmisano.  It is a program for employees to develop leadership skills while addressing economic challenges in emerging markets. 
• The Corporate Service Corps aims to train a new generation of truly global leaders by exposing them to diverse cultures, policy environments and different societal expectations, because this is the 21st context for business.
• §The Corporate Service Corps initiative involves IBMers who can contribute valuable and much-needed skills, talent, and capabilities in emerging market countries and help make an impact in that country. 

And how do we do that? By applying IBM innovation and technology to solve critical societal problems.  ‎

When I first heard about this program, I knew I had wanted to be a part of it. Thousands of people apply and hundreds are accepted each year. The program assigns you to a team of 12 IBMers where your skills are matched with the needs of a country. I applied in 2011 and was accepted with my assignment scheduled for March 2012. 

How the program works:

• When applying, you state a preference of where you would like to go in the world (ranking 4 continent levels) and then after you are accepted you are notified of your location which they will place you as close to your preference as possible, however it does come down to skill requirements.
• 3 months before your assignment, you are set up with weekly meetings with the other 11 people that are going to the same location as you. 
• During these meetings; you get to know one another, find out more about your country and towards the end; you receive your project details. 

In my next post I will share with you the project statement of work details that I will be working on and where I am going!  
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