Career Transformation IE - Q1 2022

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Q1 2022 | A promotional supplement distributed on behalf of Mediaplanet, which takes sole responsibility for its content

A Mediaplanet campaign focused on

Career Transformation

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“Ireland is one of the field leaders in the global tech industry.”

Andrew Brownlee, CEO, SOLAS

Taking YOU to the next level Advance your skills and career opportunities at one of the world’s leading universities, ranked in the top 2% globally.

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“Lifelong learning has never been more essential.”

Sinead Keogh, Head of Sectors and Director, Irish MedTech Association, IBEC

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IN THIS ISSUE

“Attracting and upskilling engineers will be vital for our competitiveness and to prepare for Ireland’s future.”

Changing the future of work through education, training and apprenticeships

Professor Orla Feely President, Engineers Ireland

As our economy and society recovers from the significant impact and aftershocks of COVID-19, patterns and trends are emerging across the workforce and labour market. We must look at how we can address skills shortages.

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reland is facing a multitude of skills shortages, in both sectors badly hit by the pandemic such as hospitality, but also in areas that many might consider to be robust, such as our tech sector.

“There are benefits to pursuing a ‘blended working’ approach.”

Minister Heather Humphreys Department of Rural and Community Development

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“Non-traditional third level education routes would also provide opportunities for new workers.”

Damien Owens Registrar, Engineers Ireland

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@YourcareerIE

Tech focused apprenticeships “Ireland is one of the field leaders in the global tech industry. The digital transformation across the world of work over the last two years has fuelled further, fast growth, bringing even greater employment opportunities in Ireland within this sector,” says Andrew Brownlee, the Chief Executive of the Further Education and Training (FET) Authority in Ireland, SOLAS. The organisation oversees the FET sector and funds programmes throughout Education and Training Boards (ETBs) in every county in Ireland, including apprenticeships.

The traditional view of entry skills for the tech sector is that this should be a largely higher education domain - but this is now changing. Employers have begun to realise the benefits of more focused practical education relevant to their needs and a work-based learning approach, which lets them mould and develop new recruits from an early stage.

Opportunities for all “There are now three exciting tech apprenticeships delivered in partnership between FIT and the ETBs,” Brownlee says. “These are apprenticeships are in fields such as cybersecurity, software engineering and network development.

“Courses are also available to provide pathways into these apprenticeships, including one solely focused on women, as well as a whole range of other offerings to take you into this exciting sector. This includes the recent development of a Cloud Computing Traineeship which is the result of a partnership between Microsoft and Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB. Work-based learning models like this allow our tech companies to shape and develop their staff to meet their rapidly evolving needs.”

@MediaplanetUK

Employers have begun to realise the benefits of more focused practical education relevant to their needs and a work-based learning approach.

Future work and skills need In a move that signals the necessity for harmony and parity between further and higher education, information about both FET and apprenticeships were made available through the CAO platform for the first time for 2022 school leavers.

PLC courses and apprenticeships accommodate the diverse aptitudes and interests of young people more comprehensively. A wide range of apprenticeships is now available - including those in digital, engineering, biopharma as well as construction trades, which might surprise students and their parents.

More information about FET can be found on FET.ie and #GenerationApprenticeship stories and details can be found on apprenticeship.ie.

For more information on skills research visit smartchoices.ie

Contact information: uk.info@mediaplanet.com or +44 (0) 203 642 0737

Andrew Brownlee CEO, SOLAS

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Project Manager: Eva Crowley eva.crowley@mediaplanet.com Business Development Manager: Lucy Harris Managing Director: Alex Williams Head of Ireland: Ross Bannatyne Production team: Head of Production: Kirsty Elliott Designer: Thomas Kent Design & Content Assistant: Aimee Rayment Digital Manager: Harvey O’Donnell Paid Media Strategist: Jonni Asfaha Social & Web Editor: Henry Phillips Digital Assistant: Carolina Galbraith Duarte All images supplied by Gettyimages, unless otherwise specified

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Developing a framework to help support career transformation Engaging with people at an earlier stage of their careers is proving to be a successful way to build a talented, diverse, inclusive workforce.

O Michael Stone Head of Human Resources, Grant Thornton

WRITTEN BY Sean Duke

Paid for by Grant Thornton

ver the past 12 months, 800 people have joined Grant Thornton, with many having engaged with the firm at an early stage of their career at school or college. Working in collaboration with Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI), the firm has introduced a Transition Year programme ‘Boot Camp’ that gives students a clear view of what they can expect from a career in accountancy, learn the fundamentals and gain essential insights into strategy, risk and leadership.

One of the strongest sources of early stage talent has come from the firms innovative summer Internship Programme which allows students from a wide variety of academic backgrounds the opportunity to work in varied roles over a period of five weeks.

The traditional route of sourcing talent from colleges has been blended with this new approach that seeks to broaden the diversity of the workforce to reflect the firm’s client base and the environment in which it operates.

Empowering employees The firm’s wide strategy, Empower 2023, empowers employees and clients to achieve ambitions and develop their ideas. This strategy operates inside a competency framework which defines what is required for outstanding performance at each career level.

This framework supports career transformation by helping employees develop new skills and capabilities.

This is all embedded by an award winning Learning and Development programme, ensuring people reach their potential at every level. This culture of excellence supports and underpins the firm’s five strategic pillars under Empower 2023.

Encouraging work-life balance The firm supports the work-life balance of its people through many different initiatives. A wellness initiative, Supporting Mental Health, was launched last October offering all employees an hour’s ‘chargeable’ or ‘non-chargeable’ time each week for the month.

It encouraged employees to take the hour to do something for themselves, go for a walk, meditate, or spend time with family.

Diversity and Inclusion is also a very important initiative for the firm, we have an active D&I committee that drives the pillars of gender equality, ability, LGBTQ+, family and ethnicity, all which are marketed under ‘Embrace’. The broad mission here is to ensure that employees feel welcome and safe in their working environment and amongst their colleagues.

Building resilience Business resilience is a critical factor in today’s marketplace and our employees are encouraged to develop their skills in this area. This focus on resilience is valued and helps drive the retention of employees.

Grant Thornton Ireland now features in the global network as one of the firms most likely to be recommended by its employees as a good place to work.

This success has been achieved by listening to the results of employee engagement surveys and focusing on what needs to be done to make Grant Thornton an even more attractive place for employees.

Find out more at grantthornton.ie

Building the skills of the future The world of work is changing – and changing fast. Employers need to recognise the importance of investing in a skilled and flexible workforce, creating opportunities for employees to develop and grow.

T Siobhan Kelly Managing Director - Ireland, Aon’s Assessment Solutions

he skills needed for future business success are not necessarily the same as those required right now. Ireland’s National Skills Strategy 2025 recognises the importance of skills as organisations seek to develop a future-focused workforce.

It requires a rethink of what it means to be skilled.

This means moving from specific skills for a specific job towards the agility to extend current skills for future roles. It’s also a shift from focusing on academic achievement to identifying future potential.

We have the opportunity to build a more diverse workforce — to attract and hire individuals who may not have the experience yet possess the capability for job success.

Building a focused workforce As an employer, consider the following actions to help build a more future-focused workforce:

Paid for by Aon

• Hire for potential and behaviour — not academic qualification. Use assessments to identify candidates with a growth mindset, defined as those who seek out new skills, embrace opportunities and are curious about change. Then assess for these behaviours that lead to success rather than mandating academic achievement.

• Remove bias and screen applicants fairly. Interviewer bias is well-known, but hard to eliminate. Introduce candidate-recorded video responses to relevant interview questions and score them using AI. Use assessments that are proven to be bias-free.

READ MORE AT YOURCAREER.IE

• Build reskilling and upskilling into your talent strategy.

Developing future skills needed in the workplace is critical for closing the future skills gap, which can’t be closed by simply hiring new talent. Talent mobility is also crucial to retain talent. Use tools such as Aon’s Pathfinder to help talent to plan their careers.

Embracing change As an employee or jobseeker, it is important to take into consideration the following actions when making your next career move: • Understand how your skills apply to different roles.

Assessments help you understand your current skills and how these apply to other roles you have yet to consider. For example, Vodafone’s Digital Careers test, developed by Aon, helps to discover jobs and courses that are tailored to you.

• Be curious and agile. Embrace change, be flexible and open-minded.

• Be prepared to upskill and reskill throughout your career. Fewer careers now follow a linear path upwards. Seize opportunities to learn new skills that will help you move into new roles. There have never been more free online resources available to help you learn.

Aon’s human capital business has a mix of talent assessment, rewards and performance specialists working with leaders to help them make better workforce decisions. We are not only in Ireland; our team spans more than 30 countries with 2,000 colleagues. Contact us to find out more humancapital@aon.com

Find out more at humancapital. aon.com/

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Unlock sustainable career success with lifelong learning The working landscape is changing at a speed never seen before. This new world demands adaptability, continuous development and a mastery of new skills.

Could lifelong learning be the answer?

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rtificial intelligence looms large, competition is accelerating and uncertainty runs rampant – leaving many returners wondering and worrying about what this could mean for their career as they re-enter the workplace.

Knowledge is power Modern career paths can often feel like endless conveyor belts, where you need to keep moving and learning to remain agile, competitive and relevant. But what happens when you step off the conveyor belt?

Many returners looking to re-enter the workplace may feel powerless or fearful that their existing skillset are outdated or, worse, irrelevant. Lifelong learning can help people reclaim power – allowing returners to enrich existing skillsets and regain control of their return-to-work career path.

Outside the classroom However, a lack of flexibility, high cost and significant time commitments can deter many returners from learning something new. The good news is that the way we view education is shifting and the quest for knowledge no longer needs to end in the classroom.

Knowledge is now at everyone’s fingertips.

From evening classes at a local college to bite-sized online courses; you can build your skillset in many flexible forms that fits your lifestyle.

Never too late Unlike traditional learning that is confined to the classroom, continuous learning is never “complete”. Lifelong learning is for everyone and promotes learning at any age.

In 2015, Californian Doreetha Daniels received her associate degree in social sciences. But Doreetha wasn’t a typical student. She was 99 years old and demonstrates that, regardless of your age, career status or educational background, it’s never too late to learn something new.

Investing in learning Those who have the greatest career success are, by and large, lifelong learners.

Entrepreneur Elon Musk grew up reading two books per day and inventor Warren Buffet dedicated 80% of his time to reading and thinking. The evidence is loud and clear: Lifelong learning is the most valuable investment we can make for return-towork success. So, whether you’re upskilling to re-enter the workplace or pursue new opportunities, continuous learning can help you take ownership of your career path and promote an empowered route back to work.

Gina Oglesby Founder and CEO, Back to Work Connect

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A roadmap to increase Ireland’s digital capabilities Over recent years, digitalisation has been woven into the fabric of society and business, including engineering, at every level.

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ost recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of many digital solutions that would have otherwise taken years to become mainstream. Throughout the pandemic, Ireland’s engineers have risen to the challenge, supporting the functioning of society through digital innovation. This digital transformation will continue, presenting both opportunities and challenges for Ireland.

The World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2021, published by the Institute for Management Development (IMD), ranks Ireland 19th worldwide.

The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), published by the European Commission, ranks Ireland 5th highest among countries in the EU, behind Finland, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands.

To take a leading position in these rankings and better prepare Ireland for the digital needs of the future, we must do more to improve its digital environment and become more competitive globally.

Developing future skills Attracting and upskilling engineers will be vital for our competitiveness and to prepare for Ireland’s future. We need to have the necessary skills, not just amongst our graduates, but also in our existing workforce who should be able to avail of upskilling and training, where needed.

The ‘Attracting Diverse Talent to the Engineering Professions of 2030’ project found that engineers of the future will be presented with complicated, complex problems and will need to consider multiperspective views, whilst being conscious of longterm effects, risk and the impacts of decisions on society.

These engineers will most certainly need fundamental technical skills. As the rate of change in technology increases, engineers must also become highly flexible lifelong learners, capable of adapting their practices to new technologies and developments.

Attracting and upskilling engineers will be vital for our competitiveness and to prepare for Ireland’s future.

Nurturing Ireland’s workforce While Ireland provides many good options for digital education in higher education institutions, more can be undertaken to support and grow the Irish workforce.

As detailed in Engineers Ireland’s State of Ireland 2021 report, Infrastructure and a Digital Future, we have recommended subsidising more third-level courses. By making these courses open-access and available online, the Government would provide greater access to digital upskilling, while continuing to promote interest in digitalisation amongst the general public.

The report also made recommendations in relation to lifelong learning to support skills demand. It is imperative that engineers in Ireland continuously look to upskill, particularly in digital education.

We are committed to supporting the competence of our members’ digital skills by providing continuing professional development opportunities, including online webinars, courses and resources.

For more information on Engineers Ireland’s State of Ireland 2021 report, Infrastructure and a Digital Future, visit engineersireland.ie

Professor Orla Feely President, Engineers Ireland

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How market-leading retail brands offer exceptional career opportunities

Image provided by Musgrave

in a local community,” says Rigney.

Eileen Biggs, Head of Resourcing at Musgrave adds: “Employees often join from other sectors and we provide them with excellent learning and development, enabling to reach their full potential in the retail industry.”

Working in retail means being part of an essential industry that offers world class development and training opportunities, and a variety of exciting roles and career paths.

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ooking for an exciting and diverse career? One that’s challenging but also rewarding? Then look no further than the retail sector insists Anne Rigney, Director of HR – Talent, Learning & Development at Musgrave, the food retail, wholesale and foodservice Group behind the SuperValu, Centra and Donnybrook Fair brands. “There are hardly two days ever the same in the world of retail, never mind two weeks!” she says.

We sometimes forget that retail is the backbone of the economy; although, in the era of COVID, people have come to appreciate just how indispensable the sector is. “Retail is one of the most dynamic industries I know, and during the pandemic the importance of the work we do really came to the fore,” says Rigney.

“Over the last two years, colleagues across our brands ensured everyone had access to food, and went above and beyond to help communities.

Working in retail offers an

opportunity to be part of a great team that makes a big impact.”

Passionate about sustainability issues Retail is a critical industry, but it’s also a fascinating one because it constantly finds innovative ways to deal with important emerging trends. “For example, sustainability is an area we’re passionate about,” says Rigney. “Consumers are more interested in buying local, sustainable living, less food waste and better packaging options. We are constantly adapting to meet and exceed shopper expectations.”

But perhaps it’s the sheer variety of the sector that makes it popular as a career choice. Take SuperValu, Centra and Donnybrook Fair, which offers a range of job options from fresh food specialists, to team leaders or store champions.

Employees can join stores at junior levels and work their way up to senior store manager positions.

“If they have the ambition, they can even own their own store, becoming a business entrepreneur

Anne Rigney Director of HR – Talent, Learning & Development, Musgrave

Training and developing employees to be the best The modern retail sector understands how important it is to train and develop employees.

Rigney points out that a range of development programmes are available to employees, from customer service training to Retailer Leadership programmes. Many of these courses are run virtually, so that they are accessible to employees from every part of the country.

Plus, in conjunction with TU Dublin (Technological University Dublin), the Group runs Certificate, Diploma, Ordinary and Honours Degree programmes, to ensure that employees can gain a third level qualification while they are working.

“The programmes are built on the very foundation of an apprenticeship type model of ‘earning while learning’,” says Rigney. “Employees can work full-time and attend lectures with TU Dublin on a parttime basis. After four years they receive an Honours Level 8 Degree in Retail Management.” Anne Marie Lynch, Co-Ordinator of Third Level Programmes at Musgrave adds: “It’s proving popular, with more than 70 colleagues signing up for Certificate, Diploma and Degree programmes each year.”

Eileen Biggs Head of Resourcing, Musgrave

Anne Marie Lynch Co-Ordinator of Third Level Programmes, Musgrave

WRITTEN BY Tony Greenway

Expanding career paths and opportunity Other certified programmes within the Group include a Butchery Apprenticeship Programme in Cork, Dublin and Galway, run in conjunction with the ACBI (Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland). Similarly, junior managers can undertake the Retail Supervisory Apprenticeship, run in conjunction with Retail Skillsnet.

The Group has successfully piloted its first Bakery Programme where, after six months, employees can qualify as fully certified bakers.

“We will continue to expand the breadth and depth of our career paths, accredited programmes and suite of learning and development programmes,” says Rigney. “Who knows, we might even launch our own Musgrave University in the years ahead.”

Check out current opportunities in Musgrave & Retail Partners at musgrave. ie/careers

Paid for by Musgrave

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Ireland’s global medtech hub already stands out as the greatest employer of medtech professionals in Europe.

Exciting opportunities set to arise for Ireland’s global medtech hub Ensuring a diverse talent pool that fosters innovation and enhances competitiveness is key to advancing Ireland’s position as a global medtech hub.

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or people who want to make a difference, the medtech industry offers an exciting opportunity to help save and transform lives. Ireland’s global medtech hub already stands out as the greatest employer of medtech professionals in Europe, per capita, with 42,000 people working across 450 businesses.

Innovation for growth Medtech is arguably one of the most innovative sectors, with 14,200 patent applications filed in the EU in 2020 alone. To meet the ever-changing demands of this burgeoning sector, lifelong learning has never been more essential. With 37% of businesses reporting a demand for engineers and 25% hiring quality and regulatory professionals.

To help the industry achieve its potential, the Irish Medtech Association has set out a new 2025 strategy identifying ‘Talent to Thrive’ as a central pillar. Under this body of work, we will create diverse, best in class, talent to secure Ireland’s future medtech competitiveness Medtech is used to diagnose, monitor and treat health conditions. This requires cross-functional teams to develop and deliver disruptive medtech for the future of health. Not only does this require greater collaboration between industry and education providers, but also better representation.

Sinead Keogh Head of Sectors and Director, Irish MedTech Association, IBEC

Medtech is arguably one of the most innovative sectors, with 14,200 patent applications filed in the EU in 2020 alone.

Increasing representation To create a more representative workforce, not only do we want to increase the number of girls pursuing STEM subjects, but also increase the number of women returning to the workforce and rising to leadership positions. We also want to upskill existing talent, utilising industry-led training under the supervision of Skillnets, as well as encourage non-traditional career routes such as the manufacturing technician and engineering apprenticeships.

Strategy implementation To build world-class talent we have identified four key areas of activity: • Ensuring the education sector is fit for purpose with adequate funding and greater accessibility.

• Supporting lifelong learning to ensure ongoing in-company training to meet the evolving needs of our knowledge economy.

• Showcasing the value of the sector to transform healthcare and grow our economy.

• Building a global workforce in Ireland which recognises the value of different talents.

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How supporting employees can create the workplace of the future Offering purposeful work, enabling true flexibility and supporting employees through all life stages as we emerge from the pandemic are the ingredients for successful workplace transformation.

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fter two years of disruption to ways of working globally, we now have the opportunity to recreate the future of work, one that is not fixed on a location but on our people’s connection. As such, we can create a more inclusive environment and challenge ourselves to remove any barriers to inequality when redesigning our future employee experience and office environment.

Employee expectations are shifting dramatically. Firstly, employees want to find meaning and purpose in their work more than ever before. A purposeful organisation creates a common goal that people feel empowered to work towards collaboratively.

In close partnership with our people, we’ve been shaping our ‘Future of Work’ experience through our Future Ready programme and the implementation of a 60:40 hybrid model. All our people spend 60% of their time working remotely, and the other 40% of their time working together in the office. Additionally, we are delighted to offer our people the opportunity to work fully remotely 20 working days per year either within Ireland, or outside of it.

The model has been designed to offer clear benefits such as reduced commuter times, greater choice in relation to where you live and increased productivity for certain activities while also balancing the desire for the emotional connection and collaboration with colleagues in the office.

James Magill Human Resources Director, Vodafone Ireland

Empowering employees through wellbeing policies Additionally, our ground-breaking family friendly and wellbeing policies empower employees to manage their career alongside life commitments or experiences.

Alongside our maternity and adoptive leave policy, we offer nonbirthing parents 16 weeks leave and a phased return to work - regardless of their gender, sexual orientation or length of service. We also offer carer’s leave, term-time leave and flexibility on start and finish times to support those with caring responsibilities.

Just recently we announced our new fertility and pregnancy policies which include extended leave for those dealing with fertility treatment and pregnancy loss as well as their partners.

Image provided by Vodafone

True flexibility is founded in the right culture and workplace environment which is fully engaged and lived by the leadership community.

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Vodafone’s purpose is to ‘connect for a better future’ which is underpinned by our three pillars of digital society, planet and inclusion for all. It is important that we are connecting for good in our society today and making a difference in people’s lives. Many of our partnerships with organisations like Women’s Aid, ALONE and Autism Ireland underpin our commitment to this purposeful work that brings greater meaning to all our employees day to day.

Focussing on flexibility True flexibility is founded in the right culture and workplace environment which is fully engaged and lived by the leadership community. At Vodafone, we take an approach that follows all life stages of our employees to sustain the right supports for them throughout their career.

Sustainable workplace transformation Employee wellbeing is also central to creating sustainable transformation in the workplace. We focus not only on physical wellbeing but also on the bigger issues or life-challenges that might be impacting our people. Vodafone has pioneered a substantive domestic violence and abuse policy to support individuals while in the workplace.

Recently, we announced our global commitment on menopause to ensure employees are supported during this time of their life and we have clear goals in relation to addressing mental health challenges.

Change is never easy, but it is now being mandated by employees. We are embracing this change to ensure that we are equipping our people with the tools and supports to grow with us in their career alongside the key milestones and decisions in their life.

Paid for by Vodafone

Find out more at https://n. vodafone.ie/ careers.html

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Remote working is key to the development of our rural future If there was one benefit from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that it resulted in a national pilot programme on remote working.

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ven as restrictions have eased in recent months, it is clear that remote working is here to stay.

In the longer run, remote working should not necessarily mean spending Monday to Friday working from your kitchen table. I’m strongly of the view that this is not a healthy option for many people.

Cabin fever can set in and the lines between work life and family life can become blurred.

However, this doesn’t have to be a binary choice. It’s not a case of option A: work from home or option B: commute to the city. As that well known advert said: ‘There’s always option C’ and in this case, remote working hubs.

Minister Heather Humphreys Department of Rural and Community Development

At a time when the battle for talent has never been greater, providing the option to work remotely could be the difference between retaining a good staff member and losing them.

Developing remote working hubs As part of the Irish’s Government’s ‘Our Rural Future, Rural Development Policy’, my department has set out an ambitious goal to develop a national network of over 400 remote working hubs by 2025. Already over 220 remote working facilities are on board the Connected Hubs network with more coming on stream every month.

Remote working hubs give people the opportunity to live and work where they choose. By utilising these remote working hubs, you can avoid the long commute but still have high speed broadband and a professional work environment. Equally important, working from a local hub gives you a clear demarcation between where work life ends and family life begins. There are already many start-up companies utilising office space in remote working hubs around the country making them hotbeds for innovation and creativity.

Remote working hubs are gaining a significant profile, both at home and abroad. We recently announced a partnership with Zoom, a company synonymous with remote working. The Network also works closely with the technology and innovation leader Cisco.

Recently, we have launched a new Connected Hubs app, so that people can book spaces in their local hubs by their mobile phone. We have also launched a nationwide promotional campaign to ensure that people are aware of the potential of the Connected Hubs network.

Breaking trends of the past Your office can be anywhere. The challenge now is to make sure we do not slip back into the old normal. The Government, employers and employees must continue to embrace remote working. At a time when the battle for talent has never been greater, providing the option to work remotely could be the difference between retaining a good staff member and losing them.

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in having both the right culture – and the right tech. “Culturally, our people are being forced away from presenteeism – and the mindset of ‘looking busy for the sake of being busy.’ Meanwhile tools that enable virtual collaboration – such as our screen-recording tool, Dropbox Capture - have never been more important in enabling employees to work effectively within distributed teams.”

Virtual first is a win win for employees There is no doubt about it, remote work is here to stay. Over the past two years, distributed work has accelerated and people want more flexibility in how they work and live.

D Paid for by Dropbox

uring the chaos of the pandemic, Dropbox was amongst the first to shift to its new strategy, Virtual First. This means that remote work is the core experience for its people, which provides the most consistent environment - and a level playing field.

Danny Guillory, Interim Chief People Officer at Dropbox explains: “We deliberately decided against a “hybrid-remote” model as it can create two very different employee experiences – with those in the office potentially gaining greater visibility than those working remotely.”

Ending the 9-5 workday Remote work has radically changed the way we work – with the company

striving to end the “the 9-5 workday” for its people.

“To unlock the full flexibility of remote work, we must move away from the traditional view on what a working day should look like. That’s why, we’ve launched “Core Collaboration Hours” for all employees globally,” says Laura Ryan, Dropbox’s International HRD and Dublin Site Lead.

Aligned to the time zones that teams interact most with, these are set windows of time, reserved for real time collaboration. Outside of these, employees have the freedom to fully design their own schedule, working more effectively whilst gaining back time to focus what’s important to them outside of work.

Laura claims the key to this lies

Danny Guillory Interim Chief People Officer, Dropbox

We must move away from the traditional view on what a working day should look like.

Hiring remote talent A huge benefit of this strategy is the company’s ability to widen its talent pool, by recruiting in a wider range of locations. But hiring practices have had to change, as candidates living in remote areas don’t always have the same experience as those in major cities.

“We’ve switched our philosophy to looking for potential, willingness to learn, soft skills - and assessing if somebody could excel in certain tasks or roles, rather than whether they have a proven track or previous experience,” Laura explains.

“This will be a critical change in our recruitment strategy moving forwards.”

Laura Ryan International HRD and Dublin Site Lead, Dropbox

Read more at dropbox.com/ jobs

Promoting engineering apprenticeships for women in tech It is a common misconception that engineering is an industry for men, two apprentices share their experiences in the field.

Débora O’Brien Software Engineering Apprentice, Google

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Débora O’Brien - Software Engineering Apprentice When I was in school, I never considered going into an engineering role. I heard “women are not good at maths and science.” This is unfortunate as I believe many girls make decisions based on things they hear growing up.

Untruthful sentences repeated enough times become the truth in our minds.

When you decide to make a bold move like change towards a tech career after a certain age (I was 33 when I started studying Python), it’s important to have opportunities that get you started in the industry.

The best part of being an apprentice at Google is the trust we get as participants. It is also great having a diverse and inclusive workplace. You not only see representation, people like you being successful, but it gives you a sense of belonging. You feel more comfortable to ask questions or even speak up when you feel the need. For any minority that is something that can truly make a difference.

After I finish my apprenticeship, I’m sure I’ll have a guaranteed space in the job market. I wouldn’t have this if it weren’t for the time I spent at Google. Now, it’s up to me and I see incredible opportunities ahead of me because of my time as an engineering apprentice.

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Alicja Malinowska - Software Engineering Apprentice I was not interested in technology from an early age. I think part of the reason was I did not have a lot of access to technology and opportunities to learn about it when I was growing up. I got my first computer when I was 14 and there was no computer in my house before that.

When I was at school, I was steered towards humanities rather than science. I was told this was what I was good at, even though I enjoyed doing my maths homework.

Eventually I did a Master’s degree in Psychology and opened my own business.

Later, I took an interest in programming using free online resources. This is what enabled me to start learning programming and I found I really enjoyed it. Google’s mission to make information universally accessible truly resonates with me.

Only a few years ago I thought programming was typing ones and zeros in some magical way that I would never be able to understand. Today I am a software engineering apprentice at Google, learning from the best engineers and contributing to the company’s engineering projects.

Alicja Malinowska Software Engineering Apprentice, Google

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Engineering solutions can address skills shortages in Ireland While Ireland faces engineering skills shortages in all areas, many of these shortages are reflected throughout the world – with some sectors still affected by the 2008 global recession.

T Damien Owens Registrar, Engineers Ireland

he National Skills Bulletin 2021 by SOLAS highlighted that professional occupations made up approximately 40% of all vacancy advertisements in 2020. Approximately two thirds of professional vacancy adverts are for ICT or engineering roles.

Gaps in construction industry During the global recession, the construction industry was one of the hardest-hit sectors and this impact can still be witnessed today in relation to worker shortages. This is clearly evident in CSO reports which highlight that there are currently 127,300 construction workers in Ireland, still well below the peak of 236,000 workers in 2007.

As detailed in Engineers Ireland’s State of Ireland 2021 report, Infrastructure and a Digital Future, Engineers Ireland recommended that a nationalised programme, which would provide consistency and job security, would be an optimal solution to encourage more workers to join the construction sector.

This consistency of demand, provided by the Government, has allowed workers to feel confident to enter the sector, more so than when public projects start and stop.

Confidence through consistent demand This solution has worked well in the United Kingdom, with the Government setting the agenda for national projects, thus providing job security for those in the construction sector.

For example, when Heathrow Airport underwent a major expansion with the construction of Terminal 5, over 60,000 workers were involved in the project. When that project finished, the majority of those workers were moved on to build London’s Olympic Village.

After that project was completed, the highly skilled workers went on to the Crossrail project, which aims to

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provide a high-frequency suburban passenger service crossing the capital from west to east. It is expected to finish in the first half of 2022. This consistency of demand, provided by the Government, has allowed workers to feel confident to enter the sector, more so than when public projects start and stop.

Role of alternative education routes Apprenticeships and other nontraditional third level education routes also provide opportunities for new workers to enter the job market quickly. The National Framework Qualifications incorporates these

pathways into its system, providing a clear path for apprentices.

A report by Cedefop, the independent EU agency for developing skills policy, found that there were over 17,800 apprentices in Ireland as of 2019. However, more can be done to encourage take up and interest in apprenticeships and the possibilities that they can provide.

At Engineers Ireland, we aim to support our members at every stage of their career, whether commencing as a student, apprentice, a qualified graduate or as an experienced engineer.

For more information, visit engineersireland.ie

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University study can boost your career to the next level It is never too late to find the right career path, universities now offer a wide variety of opportunities to help people upskill or change their career direction at all stages of their professional lives.

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Nuala McGuinn Director, Centre for Adult Learning & Professional Development, NUI Galway

Paid for by NUI Galway

eople are increasingly choosing a “lifelong learning path” after graduation for many reasons. These include a wish to enhance their employability prospects, increase their earning potential and prepare for emerging skills. They may opt to do a full-time, part-time, evening class, or online course.

The university offers a range of upskilling and postgraduate courses that are developed based on industry needs and are inspired by cutting-edge research, designed to take lifelong learners to that next level.

Our courses offer key technical skills, but through course delivery and assessment also develop graduates professional skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, communication and decision-making which prepare them for the everchanging workplace of the future.

Ranked globally within the top 2% of Universities, NUI Galway is a leading university for graduate employability.

The university’s postgraduate students and adult learners learn in a vibrant and exciting university, where innovation and creativity thrive.

“With over 200 taught courses and 150 research options available, students have immense choice in subjects, specialities and modes of study,” explains Valerie Leahy, Postgraduate Recruitment Officer. Courses are available full-time, part-time and some are even blended learning, featuring on-campus and virtual classes.

Flexible learning options Courses which provide upskilling opportunities for career advancement are available in flexible, 1-2 year

options in subject areas such as science and engineering, information technology, languages, business, management and social science.

“Students develop practical, professional competencies which are highly relevant, immediately transferable to the workplace and are aligned with industry needs,” highlights Nuala McGuinn, Centre for Adult Learning and Professional Development. They undertake assignments based on work-based problems and study collaboratively with fellow students in authentic learning scenarios.

Short, accredited micro-credentials are also in development and will be available from September providing professional development opportunities in specialist skills areas in an agile, as-needs basis.

Funding and other supports The university offers a range of scholarships to support postgraduate studies, with flagship scholarship schemes including the Taught Master’s Scholarships and the Hardiman Research Scholarships.

Funding for part-time courses is available through Springboard+, Skillnet and adult learning scholarships.

Additional supports are available in study skills, academic writing as well as student mentoring and peer learning supports.

With part-time applications opening from the 1st April and post-graduate applications currently available, it is the ideal time to research your options and apply.

Valerie Leahy Postgraduate Recruitment Officer, NUI Galway

For more information on postgraduate courses visit: nuigalway.ie/ courses/taughtpostgraduatecourses For more information on part-time, professional courses visit: nuigalway. ie/adultlearning/ courses

During the global recession, the construction industry was one of the hardest-hit sectors and this impact can still be witnessed today in relation to worker shortages. ~Damien Owens, Registrar, Engineers Ireland

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Knowledge is now at everyone’s fingertips. From evening classes at a local college to bite-sized online courses; you can build your skillset in many flexible forms that fits your lifestyle. ~Gina Oglesby, Founder and CEO, Back to Work Connect

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