Let's recruit those with skill and talent who didn't go to college

The IT sector keeps on growing strongly and creating new jobs in Ireland; hardly a week goes by without at least one announcement of a new investment by the tech industry. As a result, the search for suitably qualified people with the right skills has created a new war for talent in Ireland.

However, the industry may be unwittingly closing itself to a key talent pool due to current recruitment practices. Currently, recruitment usually consists of hiring people who are already working in the industry or, for more junior positions, hiring graduates with IT-related qualifications.

At Salesforce, we have our own graduate- recruitment and internship programme, called #FutureForce. Designed for new college graduates, this programme creates opportunities for these talented youths to launch their careers successfully in a supportive, dynamic environment. Graduates are fully integrated into our teams, working alongside seasoned professionals and are empowered to manage their own projects. #FutureForce interns are also provided with mentoring and guidance to assist them with their transition from college into the workforce.

These programmes have proven highly successful for both the company and our employees - each learns from the other. And, of course, we're not alone. Many companies in the sector run graduate-recruitment programmes which have also proven very effective.

So it's terrific that the industry is growing talent. But that's not the full story, because all of these programmes are restricted to third-level graduates. What about those talented youths who haven't had the opportunity of university or further education?

I feel very strongly that the industry needs to open itself to new sources of talent.

I left school at 16 with no qualifications relevant to the industry and certainly wouldn't have been hired by an IT company had I applied for a job with one. In my case, I was lucky enough to come through the civil service and was trained up internally as part of the IT team, which led to a successful career in technology.

But very few youths are that lucky, and the way things work today, without a relevant third-level qualification, the IT industry is effectively closed to people who might be a perfect fit.

Entrepreneurs will find their way in, of course. They will start their own businesses and get into the sector that way. But for job-seekers without that critical third-level qualification, getting your foot in the door in this industry is often an insurmountable challenge.

I believe the new Apprenticeship Council could offer a solution, both to the industry and to those talented people who are presently missing out on these opportunities.

The council was established late last year and has been tasked with the expansion of apprenticeship into new sectors of the economy, and identifying the sectors where new apprentices can make a real difference to both employers and employees.

Salesforce is a very strong supporter of the Apprenticeship Council, and we are of the firm belief that the IT sector is one area which can benefit from the introduction of apprenticeships - which could allow people without third-level qualifications to take the first step and get that first job in the sector.

Apprenticeships are a tried and trusted way of training people in a range of areas. Aircraft engineers, hairdressers, carpenters, motor mechanics, and lawyers all come through the apprentice system. The construction and motor industries have long relied on apprenticeships to deliver the skilled people they require.

So how do we apply these learning paths to the digital sector? I believe it's a matter of changing our thinking. An apprenticeship is a recognised mode of learning and acquiring a skill while working.

We should be able to create digital apprenticeships which meet the needs of our sector in the same way as they do for the traditional industries in which they operate.

Indeed, I would argue that apprenticeships could actually offer a superior means of skills acquisition than the current entry route to the industry, because one of the key advantages of an apprenticeship is the mentoring that goes with the on-the-job training. Apprentices learn from their mentor during their apprenticeship while combining that practical work with theory in a classroom environment through day release or other educational arrangements.

This combination of formal learning with on-the-job training prepares the apprentice for the world of work in a way that few other programmes can.

And I believe the IT sector is well suited to offering that combination of theory and practice to apprentices. Our industry has proven itself uniquely adaptable to the changing needs of businesses over the years.

Of course, there would need to be formal training and qualification structures. As with any apprenticeships, digital apprenticeships would require structure, and could not operate on an ad hoc basis with varying standards and procedures in operation in different companies. Ideally, the apprentices should emerge from programmes with a formally recognised FETAC or other qualification.

When an Irish carpenter or electrician goes abroad, their qualification is recognised. And I believe the same should hold true for a digital apprenticeship. The qualification resulting from that apprenticeship could be recognised throughout the industry. It should be a passport to a career.

The jobs are there. We just need to get youths prepared to take them.

This is where the Apprenticeship Council has a key role to play. The council can work with the industry to create the standardised frameworks which will offer these qualifications while opening access to the industry to a much wider range of people - of all ages.

The sooner that process begins, the better for all involved - the industry here wins with an inflow of talent ready to help companies innovate; the Irish win by increasing access to great jobs at great companies, and the Irish economy gains by increasingly becoming more attractive to the digital sector.

David Dempsey, Executive Director and Senior Vice President of Salesforce, believes that digital apprenticeships could help resolve skills shortages for the IT sector - and could create greater access to the industry for those currently not able to gain entry

Sunday Indo Business