The Hunt for Digital Talent
David Edmundson-BirdPrincipal Lecturer in Digital & Social Media
Comms at MMUManchester Metropolitan University
The Hunt for Digital Talent
• Agenda– Who am I?– The specific problems facing those recruiting for
digital talent in the North West– The key issues in the areas where the talent is being
curated– The benefits and drawbacks of initiatives to deal
with the talent curation problem– The risks faced by businesses that do not respond
to the talent curation problem
Who am I?
• Principal Lecturer in Digital & Social Media Comms at MMU
• Academic Credentials– Programme Director for MSc Digital Marketing, MSc Multi-
Channel Retailing, PG Cert Digital Comms Management– Founder – Agency Life Programme– Research background in AI early 90s
• Commercial Background– Started Manchester’s 2nd web design agency in 1995– Chief Learning Architect at Academee 1999 - 2002
SPECIFIC PROBLEMS FACING THOSE RECRUITING FOR DIGITAL TALENT
Problem 1: The End of Recession*
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
18000
VacanciesCandidates
*Not actual data: for display purposes only
Problem 2: The End of Handouts
• Regime change in 2010 = end to government subsidy for training
• “Is there a grant or fund I can access for this?”• Did NW digital creative sector get hooked on
handouts?• Why should The State pay for your staff to be
trained just so that you can make money?
Problem 3: The BBC
• Arrival of Media City• A genuine belief that “they will steal all of the
best people”– This did not happen
Problem 4: Invisibility
• “You’ve never heard of us?”
Problem 5: Cannibalization
• Digital Manchester/NW is a village• The best (in fact all) candidates merely move
from one firm to another• MDs/CEOs really hate this yet they are doing it
themselves• There are some unscrupulous operators in the
recruitment sector fuelling this
Problem 6: London/New York
• The very best don’t stay– This is both workers and firms
No cool jobs
No cool employees
No cool clients
No cool contracts
No cool employers
KEY ISSUES IN THE AREAS WHERE THE TALENT IS BEING CURATED
Talent Curation
• We have:– Pile of big, great universities– Pile of big, great colleges– Pile of big, great apprenticeship programmes– Pile of big, great training courses
• So we shouldn’t have any issues
Issues
• “They aren’t teaching them the right thing at University/College”
• “They aren’t the kind of people we’re looking for”
• “I can’t find the right apprentice”• “I can’t afford the training course fees”• “If I give them
training/education/development, they will leave”
BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS OF INITIATIVES
Uni Programmes
• The Fee Paradox and generic courses• Digital is scary and hard• Placements tend to be in blue chips• It takes a bit of effort to get involved and keep
involved• There are some students who should not be at
Uni
The ‘Best’ Paradox
• “I only want your best graduates” vs “I only want to work for the best company”
Companies Graduates
The very best‘Good enough’for you?
‘Good enough’for them?
Uni Placements/Internship Programmes
• Experience• Skills• ‘Ready-to-work’• And you know them
Digital/Social Media Apprenticeships
• Great idea• Cherry-picking of candidates• Seen by some as a backdoor entry
qualification for Uni• Regarded as cannibalizing the route to Uni by
colleges/Displacement activity until time to go to Uni
RISKS FACED BY BUSINESSES THAT DO NOT RESPOND TO THE PROBLEM
Thinking it’s a Privilege to get a Job
• Not any more, not for millenials ever• Remember the gap
20082009
20102011
20122013
20140
2000400060008000
1000012000140001600018000
VacanciesCandidates
How much does a degree cost?
• £27 - £36k plus living– We work on the expense/lost earnings cost of a
degree £80k-£100k• The questions grads ask:– “Where were you when I needed help?”
I don’t need to get involved
• I don’t need to give a guest lecture• I don’t need to mentor some kids who could do with a
professional exemplar• I don’t need to offer some paid (at minimum wage
rates) part-time career-related work to a student• I don’t need to offer a placement• I don’t need to offer a project• I don’t need to offer a busary• I don’t need to offer a scholarship• I don’t need to be on campus a lot
Sum it up: Your CTAs
• Don’t think about who you want to recruit this summer– Think about your needs in Summer 2015, 2016, 2017
and beyond.• You have to start investing some time and (yes I’m
sorry) some money• Think about choosing apprentices who would
never think about going to University– Think of them as vehicles for social mobility and you
might surprise yourself
Connect with me
• Search “David Edmundson-Bird” on Google– And Google+
• Look for me on LinkedIn• See me as “groovegenerator” on Twitter
