Date:06/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/06/stories/2006050626080400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

HAL launches media campaign to attract young people

Staff Reporter

Management trainees from HMA were chosen for the campaign

Over 500 young engineers were recruited by HAL this year

A top-level HAL team concluded a nation-wide campus recruitment drive for design engineers recently

BANGALORE: For the first time in its history, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has launched a sustained national media campaign to bring youngsters in its fold. Result: designers turn models; engineers become co-stars; technicians turn supporting cast and pilots form the cheer group.

Choreographed by HAL's Corporate Communications team, the campaign had young design and management trainees handpicked from HAL's Management Academy (HMA). The campaign shoot involving HAL's young engineers was done in two schedules at the company's corporate office on Cubbon Road and Helicopter Division on Airport Road.

"The focus of the company is now more on customer support, new design, development programmes and on youngsters. Hence, we launched this campaign with our youngsters on board. We want to tell young India that if you are chasing a dream in aviation, then HAL is the right place to be," says HAL chairman Ashok K. Baweja.

Mr. Baweja started as a management trainee in the early 1970s. The tap-young-talent campaign synchronises with HAL's recruitment of over 500 young engineers from various streams this year. A top-level team from HAL concluded a nation-wide campus recruitment drive for design engineers recently. The drive covered almost all IITs and NITs in Warangal and Allahabad. The media campaign also saw HAL scripting a new catch line "Join us, propel your dreams."

"This is a unique theme and we are all thrilled by the response it has elicited within the company. Our young brigade is very excited as they put their best foot forward to spread the essence of HAL among other youngsters," says Sanjeev Sahi, director (Personnel & Administration), HAL.

Among the themes that are put in place for the campaign are: birthday celebration in the helicopter hangar, childhood aviation stories straight from the heart, ideas and rewards, walkathon with pilots and the first flight experience. "It's a great honour to be the face of HAL through this campaign. My parents are also happy," says Anushree from Bhagalpur in Bihar, one of the management trainees, who took part in the campaign.

The company also plans a series of promotional campaigns to portray `Brand HAL' image nationally and internationally.