Over the next three years, hundreds of IBM employees from around the world will work together in small, diverse teams, as part of IBM's Corporate Service Corps. These future leaders will learn the skills to be global citizens and professionals,while collaborating with communities in emerging markets on their economic development.
Through the programme, IBM is teaming with local NGOs to place small groups of employees from different countries and business units to work on issues such as enhancing economic opportunity and access to education resources.
During 2008, over 100 IBM employees were deployed on projects to Romania, the Philippines, Vietnam and Tanzania. Elisabeth Dirnberger was the first employee from IBM Ireland to be selected to take part in this once-in-a-lifetime project and has just returned from one month in Tagbilarn City, Bohol, Philippines. Elisabeth was part of a team working with the Holy Name University (HNU), a non-profit university which offers programmes in elementary, secondary, undergraduate and graduate levels.