Fastnet Sponsors BPCI AGM and Launches STEM Initiative

Fastnet Sponsors BPCI AGM and Launches STEM Initiative

Challenging Sectoral Thinking on Relevant Experience

Fastnet – The Talent Group was delighted to sponsor BioPharmaChem Ireland’s recent Annual General Meeting & Dinner at The Maryborough Hotel, Cork on Wednesday 29th May. To an influential group of BPCI and life science company leaders, we launched our STEM Talent Conversion Initiative during said AGM.  

Whether we call it a talent crisis or opportunity, there are more open roles in STEM right now here in Ireland than there are qualified candidates for those roles, and this trend is set to continue. While there are many great initiatives ongoing around encouraging primary, secondary and third-level interest and future careers in STEM, are we doing enough with the current workforce? Primarily in tech and life sciences, there have been some great programmes focused on converting candidates with very different experience into customer support and operator roles, but given the continued trends, we need this thinking to extend onwards into other disciplines (quality, laboratory, engineering, supply chain etc.) to genuinely make this more of a STEM talent opportunity – also re diversity of thought – than crisis, and for Ireland to win in same.

Let’s break roles down into organisation fit 50% and job fit 50% (skillset 30% and relevant experience 20%). How many of us have regretted great ‘80%’ candidates i.e. we could absolutely see them fitting into the organisation, they definitely had the essential skills, but shame their experience was from another sector? In the midst of busy sites, high-volume recruiting and a desire for ideal candidates, this has been the natural order, but now is the time to challenge that. Given Fastnet – The Talent Group’s 19 years of sector focus and partnering with life sciences, and relationships recently deepened through our Talent & Transformation division’s site secondments, we have reached out to three clients (BioMarin, Hovione & LEO Pharma) in pilot mode to partner with us on a STEM talent conversion initiative. Let’s put heads together, challenge sectoral thinking on relevant experience, and successfully pilot a new way of hiring into the sector for going forward.

To BioMarin, Hovione & LEO Pharma, the ask here has been to each select one open role in quality, laboratory, engineering or supply chain, for which we will partner to fill with a ‘80%’ candidate. On the Fastnet side, we will source and carefully select potentially suitable candidates for each i.e. with org fit, skillset and relevant experience, but from another sector. For this pilot, whether the three selected roles are permanent or contract ones, Fastnet will waive relevant placement fees. On the client side, in addition to this trial commitment, they will assign the successful candidates an onsite coach particularly focused on accelerating learning around the 20% sectoral experience gap. From a talent management perspective, this would also constitute a tangible developmental opportunity for an existing employee. For each of BioMarin, Hovione & LEO Pharma, the hires will be subject to usual terms and conditions, probationary practices etc. As would be Fastnet’s usual way of operating, we will keep in touch with client contacts and hires during probation to ensure that all is going well, and monitor the pilot for subsequent validation and sectoral communication.

Whether a client or candidate, what can you do to start challenging sectoral thinking on relevant experience too?