TAS, formerly known as the Tata Administrative Service, was conceived by JRD Tata, the late chairman of the Tata Group, in the 1950s. His dream was to select and groom some of the best young Indians, provide them opportunities for professional growth, and use that pool of talent as a group resource — one that could be tapped by companies across the Tata organisation.

Most companies today allow a degree of job rotation for career growth. TAS, which is essentially a training programme, is perhaps the only employment brand in Indian business that consciously recruits for lifelong mobility, across companies, industries and functions, in order to impart that macro view of business which is critical in preparing young professionals for general management.

To grow and renew the Tata talent pool continuously, TAS recruits high-achieving young postgraduates from leading business schools each year and puts them through an intensive 12-month programme. The TAS manager has as his or her career canvas India's largest business house, with the widest range of industries and functions around which to plan and build a lifetime career of professional and personal growth. The TAS recruitment process at campuses strives to associate the Tata brand with values such as integrity, excellence and nation building, while highlighting the group's entrepreneurial spirit.

TAS has been recast in recent years, with an increased focus on facilitating mobility across group companies. Over the past three years, concentrated communication, consistent engagement and competitive compensation packages have helped TAS regain and strengthen its position as an attractive employment destination for top talent.

The programme's one-year training module, renamed 'group orientation and learning' (GOAL), emphasises structured orientation through classroom inputs and field visits. It builds TAS trainees' perspective on the seven core sectors of the Tata Group, its current and future challenges, and its drive to become a truly global organisation.

The training module consists of four cross-functional, cross-business and cross-located assignments. These include three business stints of 15 weeks duration in sales and marketing, manufacturing and operations, and corporate strategy, finance and human resources. A seven-week rural assignment exposes the trainees to community work and rural India, helping instil in them a true picture of the life of ordinary Indians.

Another facet of the module is the mentorship programme for TAS managers placed with group companies. This was initiated to create a platform for the personal and professional development of TAS managers post placement. Additionally, TAS managers are then taken through a development plan that lasts five years.

Contact
Group sourcing and TAS office,
Group human resources,
Bombay House,
24, Homi Mody Street,
Mumbai 400 001,
India.
Phone: +91 (22) 6665-8282
Fax: +91(22) 6665-8160
Email: tas@tata.com