TUI Group operates on a global scale as one of the world's largest tourism companies, connecting over 400 hotels and resorts, 1,200 travel agencies, 16 cruise ships, and 5 airlines. TUI shares are listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, in the regulated market of the Lower Saxony Stock Exchange in Hanover and at the London Stock Exchange.

Technology has been essential to the evolution of TUI. In recent years, particularly during the pandemic, the company has undertaken a global talent transformation initiative that has radically changed how it utilizes technology. A pivotal aspect of this transformation was creating a unified global IT organization from an array of regional structures. Cerstin Lang, Director for HR Group IT is driving the digital transformation at the travel giant as it works with training partner Udacity to upskill IT talent.

This reorganization involved a dedicated team of over 1,700 IT professionals who have been instrumental in driving change. Additionally, TUI Group recognized the importance of enhancing their HR capabilities to facilitate the acquisition of skilled digital talent. The company has long been committed to nurturing and upskilling its workforce.

Cerstin and her team collaborated with Udacity on the TUI “for:ward” program, designed to upskill their workforce in digital technologies like Data Science, DevOps, Data Engineering, and Agile Coaching. This partnership allowed TUI Group to provide comprehensive training and development programs to enhance their employees' digital skill sets.

The TUI “for:ward” program was introduced to the company’s IT department as a global, long-term program, offering ondemand learning for personal and professional development, as well as opportunities to transition within and among IT roles. TUI were looking for DevOps engineers, data analysts, security specialists and data scientists – all hard roles to fill on the job market. This is when the ‘Talent Transformation Suite’ was born.

In response to the demand for specialized roles in the IT sector, the creation of the 'Talent Transformation Suite' emerged as a strategic initiative to equip TUI's workforce with the necessary skills, thereby fostering adaptability and addressing the challenges of an evolving job market.

TUI Group partnered with Udacity, allowing colleagues to forge ahead in their personal and professional growth. Employees now understand that TUI is committed to investing in their development, enabling significant strides in their personal careers within the company.

Automate, Skills, Impact:

• Employees can reduce time and cost for projects by increasing efficiency with the automation of manual tasks and the adoption of cutting-edge digital practices.
• Employees broaden their expertise to a new culture of continuous learning.
• Role transitions have a measurable impact on new data-driven practices.