Arrow on talent hunt to tackle IT skills shortages
Arrow Talent Programme wants to raise awareness of channel employment opportunities
Arrow ECS has opened up about its Talent Programme, which it says aims to seek out the best talent to help grow the company in the future, and will tackle skills shortages in the IT industry.
The distributor says the programme – which has been running for 18 months – is designed to make the technology and business sectors more understandable, and to help people of all ages realise what opportunities lie within the company.
Dave Ellis, Arrow’s head of technology and services in EMEA, told CRN that the programme caters for all areas of the company including business and admin, IT, HR and sales.
A recent report from recruiter ReThink said the IT sector is suffering from “well-documented skills shortages” and Ellis said the programme is a way of bringing fresh talent into the industry.
“Generally within IT there has been skills shortages and you always want to get good people, so anything that helps attract and retain good people has got to be positive,” he said.
“The main aim is to ensure we are finding the best talent and building a long-term relationship with that talent. If you look at our strapline 'five years out', it is about building for the future. A key element of that is ensuring that we have the best people who will grow with the company in the future,” he said.
The programme offers learning opportunities tailored for its apprentices and graduates, such as IT skills, confidence building and NVQ training. Hopefuls can sign up on the Arrow website to attend placements at the distie’s Harrogate, Newmarket, Reading and Nottingham offices.
Ellis added that Arrow wants to raise awareness of what it and the broader channel have to offer in terms of career opportunities.
“We [Arrow] are actually bigger than Starbucks, believe it or not," he said. "But if you spoke to someone leaving college or university or thinking about apprenticeships and where they want to go, Arrow may not always be the first company they think of because of the nature of what we do.”
Currently in its third wave of apprentices, the programme dedicates a senior mentor and "workplace buddy" to each junior to assist in their development, an aspect Ellis claims sets the programme apart.
Arrow says it is also in the process of developing full internships, which will enable candidates to get a taste of working with the company and within the channel, before fully committing.
Ellis concluded: “Some people do not necessarily understand how the channel works – the role we have, and the role the broader channel has. So I think it is about raising that awareness, and showing them that there are really good opportunities to build a long-term career with Arrow.”