Take an insider’s look at UPS Integrad, an innovative training initiative created by the company’s learning organization to develop aspiring operators of its ubiquitous delivery trucks. The 10-year-old program is delivered at nine (and counting) dedicated facilities within the United States, as well as one each in Germany and England. More than 10,000 individuals have graduated from UPS Integrad to date.

UPS Integrad is at the heart of an intensive campaign within UPS to recruit, train, and retain qualified individuals as drivers of its “package cars,” and to provide a framework for career advancement within the company. Its purpose is as clear as the windshields on its distinctive brown vehicles: to compete vigorously for talented employees in today’s shrinking global workforce.

Integrad’s curriculum includes an intensive five-day course designed to equip new drivers with every skill set needed to perform their tasks safely and competently. During the course, candidates proceed in pairs through innovative learning stations targeted to specific skill sets, including a virtual reality station that teaches defensive driving skills such as awareness, visibility, and safety within a training environment that mimics the actual driving experience.