Lafarge builds the skills of the leaders of tomorrow : Diversified career paths “make good sense and good strategy”

Purpose – The paper examines how multinational building‐materials manufacturer Lafarge, with more than 77,000 employees operating in four divisions in more than 75 countries, provides its employees with a shared vision of group‐wide ambitions, challenges and opportunities, while still ensuring that they have the detailed knowledge they need to do their own specific jobs. Design/methodology/approach – The paper describes the system of training, with certain Lafarge‐wide programs, others geared to a particular division or geographical area, and a third group dedicated to particular needs revealed during appraisal. Findings – The paper concentrates, in particular, on a CD‐Rom‐based training program designed to increase employees' awareness of quality issues in the Lafarge Gypsum division. Examines the content of the program, its design, and some of the outcomes. Practical implications – The paper highlights the benefits to Lafarge of having highly diversified career paths and training. Originality/value – The paper demonstrates that it is possible to develop employees who are highly skilled in a particular area but who still have the company‐wide knowledge and mindset to apply for other jobs outside their immediate division or geographical area.