How Babcock tapped into new talent potential.
With work locations scattered across the UK, many of them outside of major cities, Babcock was struggling to uncover future talent.
Working with Talent Solutions, Babcock began a new programme that went beyond the parameters of their existing talent-building activities. A decision was made to relax ‘required’ experience, utilising the Train to Fit solution provided by the team at Talent Solutions and Experis.
This meant casting a wider net for potential Project Managers – talent that may not have the exact skills the roles required, but who had the raw talent that could be shaped to perform the required future skills with excellence within Babcock’s future workforce.
We’re so exact in our requirements that a lot of people with incredible qualities get discounted, simply because their CV may not have something so precise that we sift them out. Well, that person, with the right training, could be far greater than the person you would originally push straight into a role simply because they tick a number of boxes.
Growth mindset, capacity to deliver, and a readiness to take on Babcock’s principles were as important as hard skills learned elsewhere. Candidates came from within Babcock as well as other industries and organisations, and after being trained to fit roles within the organisation, many have gone on to achieve results as good as, and often better than, workers with years of experience in those same roles.
Since the initial programme, Babcock is now scaling Train to Fit into other areas of the organisation and for completely different roles. More noticeably, Train to Fit has won multiple training industry awards based on the success of the programme.
The Train to Fit programme Babcock used is not a one-size fits all solution, however, it is a strong example of a solution that could be applied as part of a multi-disciplined recruitment approach.
In an age where most CVs are initially scanned and sifted by algorithms instead of trained HR professionals, many businesses may be missing out on candidates with great potential but who fail to make the cut simply because they do not have a specific credential or certificate.
Finding those diamonds in the rough requires more than just a new way of working, it also means businesses must be prepared to put the work in to ensure the best candidates are not lost in the sifting process.
Jimmy Williams, Group Project Capability Manager at Babcock
Here are some simple steps to help you start:
1. Determine the profile of the candidates who may be able to fill the role(s).
2. Work with a partner to locate potential candidates – look within your organisation as well as externally.
3. Hire for soft skills, train for hard skills. Select candidates based on potential, not precise experience.
4. Encourage and nurture candidates during the training phase.
5. Provide ongoing support once the candidates begin their role. Provide top-up training as required.
6. Scale and adjust as needed to develop the programme for other roles within your organisation.
Listen to the Transform Talent Podcast’s ‘Builders of Talent’ episode to discover more about finding those diamonds in the rough.
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