Wipro to hire more freshers

Wipro Ltd said it would hire more freshers in 2008 and has tied up with more than 14 educational institutions to give their students a sneak-peek into the company’s culture. This would improve joining ratio and help cut attrition in the long run, the company said.

Ms Priti Rajora, General Manager, Resourcing, said the company, whose margins have been squeezed by the strengthening rupee, is looking to increase the percentage of freshers to 50 per cent of total recruitment in 2008-2009, compared with 35 per cent in the previous year. This is being done to improve the utilisation level, she said.

She said it was cheaper to hire a fresher and train him rather than employ an experienced person. There could be revisions in the number of experienced people the company would hire, she added.

Ties up with colleges

Ms Rajora said the collaboration with colleges aims to bridge the gap between the industry and the academia and make the student more corporate-ready. She said the company interacts not only with the students but also with the members of the faculty, the management of the institution and the placement officers.

Ms Rajora said Wipro is planning to launch a dedicated fresher engagement program within the next couple of quarters.