I've now been an active employee of Accenture for a while, but I'm still very much in the training phases.  After the first week of orientation, my start-group and I began what is known as "Solution Delivery Fundamentals" training, where we are to learn and apply the various company standards for processes and deliverables with regards to client projects.  SDF Training is officially introduced and described as follows:

"All our entry-level consulting people need to understand the technical work we often undertake on consulting engagements, so your next two weeks will be dedicated to the Solution Delivery Fundamentals course. You will research, learn and apply basic programming concepts while becoming immersed in Accenture’s quality practices, standards and methods. What you learn at this stage will also help you quickly pick up more advanced technical skills if you need them."

In essence, the training involved a series of client requirement scenarios, and our task was to deliver either documentation, or to write Visual Basic programming code.  So, even those without any technical background in the group were required grasp the basics of VB, and we helped each other through the various training modules.  For me, most of the programming was fairly elementary, but I did have a harder time creating and compiling my documentation according to specifications. 

After two weeks of SDF, we embarked on our journey to St. Charles, Illinois, where Accenture runs its "Core Analyst School," the boot camp for all new hires globally.  The course is overviewed as follows:

"In their first year, all entry-level recruits attend Core Analyst School, an intensive, two-week training course at our Global training centre in St. Charles, just outside Chicago, Illinois. Through a rigorous set of learning experiences, you’ll discover how to deliver quality solutions with a high degree of competence using the same tools and methods you’ll use on the job. You’ll develop a thorough understanding of how each workgroup in the Consulting workforce builds value for our clients. There will also be plenty of opportunities to focus on developing personal, professional and people skills that will help you every day of your career."

Our group flew from San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare, and we were graced with a limousine that took us from airport to the training compound in St. Charles:  The Q-Center.

The Q-Center Entrance

It's a huge interconnected network of buildings, containing dormatories, dining centers, and conference rooms.  It's website boasts:

"Located due west of Chicago in a secluded, distraction-free environment, Q Center has more than 150,000 square feet of IACC-certified, versatile meeting space, plus 1,042 guest rooms. As one of the largest conference centers in the world, we can accommodate big groups, but small regional businesses find Q Center a private and productive place to meet as well. We mean it when we say groups of two to 2,000 receive the same high level of personal attention."

So it was here that we began what the course faculty calls our "Odysee of Learning."  Over 100 new employees from across the globe are all assembled, and split into three sections.  These sections meet in separate classrooms, and is then divided into several work groups.  Each work group sits together at table in the classroom.  My table (section 1, table 4) is composed of 6 people, with people from Sweden, Italy, France, Chicago, and Charlotte. 

Our days are long; we get going in the mornings at 8, and usually don't get let loose until about 6. After hours, we have our meals, and can take a number of shuttles to nearby areas to go shopping or watch a movie.  There are also a number of on-site activities available to us: ping-pong, karaoke, billiards, a fitnes center, and for those who wish to can go get plastered at the nearby pub (indentify-the-hangovers is always a fun classroom game the following day.)

The weekend finally came (although we did have coursework on Saturday before noon) and most people made a trip into Chicago.  A few of us gathered together a group to get some authentic Chicago deep-dish pizza, and catch the Bull-Pacers basketball game at the United Center.

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It was quite an experience, and there were constant reminders of the legendary Michael Jordan at the stadium:  His retired number (Jordan's #23 hung alongside now Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan's #4) and a bronze monument at the front of the arena honored His Airness.

The weekend excursion came to an end, and another 5 days of rigorous training awaits.  This next week, the groups will reconfigure, and the material will based on each employee's work group's tasks (mine being Systems Integration, I will likely be doing more technical training.)  It should be fun, and I hope to get a lot out of it.