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One global talent journey across 60 countries
How do you create confident, future-ready leaders in one of the most complex industries on earth? Fugro, a global leader in geodata and employer of over 11,000 people worldwide, set out to do just that.
Onboarding talent in a complex industry
Operating across 60 countries and in highly specialized fields, Fugro faces a continuous challenge: attracting and retaining high-potential professionals, and helping them thrive in an environment that’s anything but ordinary. Traditional onboarding was not enough. Fugro needed a development experience that was engaging, scalable, and truly global, yet flexible enough to meet the unique realities of working offshore, on-site, and everywhere in between.
A new generation of learning
Relevance and Fugro co-created U.Gro, a blended learning journey that brings personal skill development to young professionals from day one.
The first version of the programme, launched in 2021, already stood out: a 2.5-year journey regionally combined virtual sessions and local cohorts. It even earned the British Ground Engineering Award for Best Graduate Programme in 2024.
But Fugro didn’t stop there. In 2025, the programme evolved. The new U.Gro took everything to the next level:
From regional to global
Participants from all time zones now learn together in one shared experience
Faster, smarter, more flexible
The programme was redesigned into a 12-month journey, with 3.5-hour virtual sessions that fit any schedule and timezone
Future-ready skills
The content was refreshed to focus on adaptability, collaboration, and personal impact: the skills that define modern leadership
Self-enrollment
Participants have full ownership of their development, choosing when and how they learn
The U.Gro journey
U.Gro consists of six powerful learning modules, enriched with three peer coaching sessions. Each module combines a 60–90 minute online class with real-world application
Unlock potential
Exploring Fugro's mission and values while discovering personal leadership and building meaningful connections.
Communication & Feedback
Developing authentic communication skills by learning to listen, adapt, and exchange constructive feedback across diverse contexts.
Own the mic
Mastering impactful storytelling and presentation skills to communicate ideas clearly, confidently, and creatively.
Workload management
Prioritizing tasks and managing work under pressure, learning effective time management and organization; even in demanding situations.
Influencing skills
Building trust and inspiring others by adapting influencing styles and aligning stakeholders toward shared goals.
Critical thinking
Enhancing analytical thinking and decision-making by evaluating complex challenges and generating innovative, reasoned solutions.
Global talent, growing together
With U.Gro, Fugro has turned onboarding into a launchpad for talent. Participants integrate faster, collaborate better, and grow into confident, capable professionals. Wherever in the world they may be.
The right people onboard
Fugro attracts ambitious, curious young professionals from around the world. People who share a passion for exploration, collaboration, and impact from day one.
Stronger skills across teams
Through blended learning and real-world application, participants strengthen vital skills. From communication and collaboration to problem-solving in complex environments.
A culture of continuous learning
U.Gro helps embed a global learning mindset at Fugro, where development never stops and every experience becomes an opportunity to grow.
Working with people from different backgrounds and from all around the globe was definitely something that stayed with me, especially during the U.Gro challenge, where we developed an idea into a pitch with a team from different departments. I've learned so much about leadership and teamwork in real time, while expanding my presentation skills and confidence.
KatiaE-learning developer at Fugro
Beyond U.Gro: International Leadership Track
Beyond U.Gro, Fugro invests in shaping its next generation of leaders. Relevance and Fugro also co-developed the International Leadership Track: a 2.5-year, rotation-based programme designed for Fugro’s future leaders. Ambitious master’s graduates build the skills to lead and drive change through:
- International assignment rotations
- Advanced and personalised leadership training
- Guidance sessions, one-on-one coaching, and support from peers
- Group strategic business challenges
- Deep local and global business exposure
Both programmes together form a connected learning ecosystem that spans career stages, helping Fugro attract talent, build global capabilities, and grow leadership from within.
The biggest takeaways
- 1
One global cohort beats regional copies: participants from every time zone now learn together in one shared experience.
- 2
Short virtual sessions with real application fit an offshore workforce better than any two-day workshop.
- 3
Self-enrollment gives participants ownership of their development, and a talent journey can feed a leadership track.
A one-page PDF with the key items, the numbers and the biggest takeaways. Handy for a meeting, or to forward.
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