The Northern Talent Exchange (NTE) provides a unique service across the North. Backed by the Northern Powerhouse, NTE’s goal is to attract, develop and retain talent in our thriving North by providing interesting career loans and coaching opportunities for different phases of life.
NTE is a business that was inspired by my time working in a sports tech unicorn business. Talent was at a premium in this progressive, human centred and high-performance environment. Given the sporting connection, I looked at what football clubs did to develop talent and a culture of performance to see what I could learn. How did they develop a diverse team of players, bringing out different skills and abilities? How did they keep players motivated and at the top of their game for as long as possible? The thing I got interested in was the regular transfer windows and the practice of loaning their players out between clubs. Whilst some organisations use secondments, most don’t do this. This made me wonder how could career loans help solve the challenge of finding the right job that develops skills and keeps people engaged in their career? As I started to talk to people and businesses alike about this idea, their ears pricked up! There are so many times in our long careers that a loan to another organisation would be an appealing and valuable solution:
Graduate rotations – grads spend time rotating in different businesses in your city to get a better, more valuable breadth of experience. This benefits them and their employers
A few years in – people often want to broaden their experience after a couple of years in a role. Instead of having to find a new job, they could go on loan to get that injection of experience, skill and knowledge and work in a different sector or business to satisfy the need
Returning to work – when people have taken time out, for example on maternity leave, finding the right job to get back to work is often challenging. This may be because their confidence is low, skills are not as current, or people are looking for flexibility that isn’t readily available. Rather than leaving their job they can return into a different role that provides the right fit. This keeps people working and using the valuable skills they have developed.
Career changers – people who are stuck in a job and really want to change direction but are worried it will be the right move for them. Sometimes they just don’t know what transferrable skills they have and what other jobs are out there. A loan to another business would help them trial this change and make a more assured career decision. They can then return to their employer either knowing they will stay where they are or feel certain there are ready to move departments
Leaders on loan – as a leader there are crucial experiences that give you a balance and perspective before taking on bigger leadership roles. Getting this breadth of experience isn’t always easy. Going on loan could be a perfect way of building this vital knowledge and experience by learning how different organisations approach similar challenges. These businesses would also benefit from the leader on loan.
Intergenerational mentors – we have people who can share their career experience and insight to help others learn more efficiently. Connection, collaboration and conversation is key. People love solving problems together and this way you get the best brains on the job.
There’s a lot of work needed to get this concept off the ground. I’m convinced it will be valuable for people and organisations alike across our region. I’ve started working with a handful of organisations we have identified how the loans work most effectively. There are three key components:
Matching the right person with the right loan opportunity
Supporting the person through the loan, including having a dedicated business coach
A clear and smooth loan process – taking the hassle out of making it happen. This involves support for the person on loan and both organisations to deal with all legal, financial and practical needs.
By taking the anxiety out of a big decision like “shall I leave my job to do something else?” - people relax and make better decisions that are right for them and their employer. This is a great way to help people experience variety and learning in different jobs. For businesses, they collaborate together getting the best from local talent, solve problems together and build a strong ecosystem that attracts and retains talent in the region. Everyone wins!
If you or your organisation is interested in hearing more about NTE or would like to explore getting involved, contact Catherine on email catherine@boddington-cc.co.uk or call 07900 244777.