What MNCs are doing to nurture and develop talent for the future

In a tight labour market it helps to be an employer of choice. Becoming one is about more than pay and conditions – it’s about committing to internal upskilling and building your external talent pool too.

The best US MNCs do just that. Since 2019 US multinationals have increased employment in Ireland from 160,000 people to more than 210,000, up more than 30 per cent in four years.

Seamus Fives, American Chamber of Commerce Ireland (AmCham) president and vice-president API operations at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, says: “AmCham members play an integral role in supporting and empowering Ireland’s economy, communities and talent. Ireland has shown that it can compete for the most sophisticated and cutting-edge technology and manufacturing investments globally in every sector.”

That is certainly the case at technology company Cisco. It employs around 80,000 people in 90 countries, its two facilities in Ireland focusing on cloud software development, user experience, product management, marketing and sales.

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According to Cisco’s managing director for Ireland and Scotland, Shane Heraty, a big part of what makes the company an employer of choice is its mix of purpose and culture. Cisco prides itself on supporting its people “to develop new skills, the next big idea and their professional horizons, in a culture where everybody is seen, heard and included”.

“That helps us attract, retain and grow talent,” says Heraty.

The firm provides flexibility around hybrid working and a range of virtual resources, and dedicated time for learning and development, the appetite for which is something conveyed strongly through employee feedback, he says.

Initiatives such as Cisco Illuminate, a programme of quarterly learning experiences, connects employees with the people, information and skills that help them build career momentum.

Cisco’s Networking Academy, a global IT skills-to-jobs programme, was among the first of its kind in the world and active in Ireland since 2001. In Ireland alone more than 35,000 second and third level students have gone through the programme, which is offered by a range of trusted providers, including ICT Skillnet.

Participants can undertake a range of online courses for free and at their own pace, covering everything from cybersecurity to Linux and Python.

“We’ve noticed a real uptick in demand in Ireland, up from 3,000 last year to 4,000 this year. Post pandemic we are seeing an increase in the number of people revisiting their careers and considering a career change,” says Heraty.

Cisco also works with P-TECH, an initiative developed by IBM with teachers in New York in 2011, which then spread to more than 100 schools across the US. Ireland was the first country in Europe to adopt the initiative, which combines second-level school education with elements of third level education and work experiences such as mentorship and internships.

Cisco took its first batch of 12 student in under P-TECH last year.

“It was amazing to see the growth in the students from day one, when they were shy introducing themselves, to, by the end, presenting to an auditorium of 200 people,” says Heraty.

Software giant Microsoft is building skills in artificial intelligence and generative AI in particular. It recently announced a national AI skills campaign to ensure that everyone in society has an opportunity to develop the skills to better understand and use AI.

It is part of Microsoft’s Skilling Up Ireland initiative and comes against the backdrop of a World Economic Forum estimate that 60 per cent of all employees will need reskilling by 2027.

Microsoft’s national AI skilling programme directly addresses this. It includes a range of AI learning opportunities for young people in primary and post-primary education, as well as courses for graduates and mid-career professionals looking to upskill and specialise in AI.

It starts with a six-week Introduction to AI course, developed by the education team at Microsoft Ireland, that will equip anyone over 18 with the foundational knowledge, skills and competencies they need to engage more confidently with the current and emerging applications of AI.

The tech giant has also expanded its Microsoft Dream Space digital skills offering for primary and post-primary students. Every student now engaging with Dream Space will learn about the fundamentals of AI and early next year a new series of Dream Space TV will be made available to students and teachers across the island of Ireland with lessons created to support AI literacy. Dream Space certificates will be issued to students who complete the series.

US biotech company Regeneron Pharmaceuticals celebrates its 10th anniversary in Ireland next year. It employs in excess of 1,400 people at its facility in Limerick.

Part of its success in attracting staff is the clear sense of purpose it offers, says Ivor Downey, executive director and HR lead at Regeneron. “We are very fortunate in the industry in that we have a compelling mission – life-changing medicines for patients,” he explains.

Retention has been key to its success too and part of that comes from the opportunity it offers for career development.

“We are seeing a big uptick in internal mobility,” says Downey. “Often people want to stay with the company and try something new – moving from manufacturing to quality assurance, for example.”

Currently 80 per cent of Regeneron’s staff are third level graduates. It is increasingly opening up entry paths to school leavers too, including through apprenticeships.

It is also broadening entry to not just those with science degrees, but degrees in a broader range of disciplines, from food to technology and retail, who bring transferable skills.

It partners with Junior Achievement Ireland, visiting schools to encourage children to excel in education, and sponsors the Learning Hub, an education initiative that works with primary schoolchildren in Limerick to inspire them to pursue careers in STEM. It also runs a STEM Academy at a local secondary school, Thomond Community College, once a week.

“We’re helping to broaden the overall talent pipeline in the midwest,” says Downey.