Taking Entry Level Talent seriously

Read our Q&A with Debbie McQuillan on some exciting changes we’ve been working on for all of our talented Entry Level Staff. 

What is your name and role?

I’m Debbie and I’m the Entry Level Partner at Kainos. It’s my role to ensure that the experience of our Entry Level staff is the best it can possibly be; from initial recruitment, onboarding, training academy, project allocation, ongoing development and everything inbetween. I’m particularly excited to announce the launch of our new guided 18-month programme, enabling continuous learning to support project delivery experience and to provide the best possible start to their career in Kainos. 

What do you love about Kainos?

When I joined Kainos a few years ago, I instantly got the sense that from the moment you join at any level, you’re treated with respect and there is a level playing field all the way to our leadership team. I love coming to work every day and working with like-minded, talented people.  I get a buzz from knowing that the work I do has a positive impact on my colleagues across the globe, to set them up for continued career success.

Tell us about the changes that have been implemented over the last 12 months in Entry Level.

As a business we decided to look at our Entry Level approach and ask ourselves if we could be doing anything better for all of our talented new starts. We really challenged ourselves here to make sure everything was consistent across Kainos, regardless of what team, project or discipline they join us in; so that every staff member has the same experience or level of support along the way. We recognised the need to shake things up, the need to ensure everyone has the exciting career path in front of them, not only that but the ability to make informed decisions about the career path they choose to pursue. We wanted to make sure that an engineer starting in Birmingham would have the same wraparound support over their first year as an HCM consultant in London or Belfast or a Workday Consultant in North America And so, the 18-month programme was born.

What is the 18 month programme about?

The 18-month programme is a comprehensive learning and development programme for everyone who joins Kainos as an Entry Level employee. This comprises of technical skills, orientation within Kainos and core non-technical skills.  Throughout this time, staff will take these learnings and apply many of them directly on projects, ultimately accelerating their professional development.  The programme signifies the start of an exciting journey where our staff can continuously learn and have a real impact on the world around us.

Wraparound support is really key to the programme too.  In addition to a network of experienced staff assigned to each individual, each cohort of new Entry Level staff will have their own designated senior sponsor. This person will inspire and lead their cohorts and give them the time and space to meet, ask questions and share experiences. This is so important for the Entry Level staff to have time with the leaders - they’re the leaders of the future after all. But it’s also important for our leaders to stay close to the programme and hear first hand about their experiences and share key learns - it encapsulates the Kainos Culture and they love being involved.

What is so special about this setup?

There are a couple of things that make it really special. Aside from the obvious developmental benefits, the wider programme allows all staff to interact across a variety of capabilities, disciplines and business units to form a wider Kainos community outside of their projects/teams. In addition the wrap around support and senior sponsor input is a really important element of the programme. All of the above builds the foundations of a solid professional network. 

I particularly love our Business Orientation sessions, which allow our staff to get a flavour of different parts of the business and what goes on under the hood. This has a dual benefit of giving them a wider of view of Kainos as a business and the opportunity to make informed decisions about their longer career ambitions and, importantly, build connections in those areas.  Also, the programme allows them to really hit the ground running once they graduate from their Academies – they have constant support through the programme along the way to ensure their success going forward.

What advice would you give to young people hoping to get into the industry?

There is a wealth of outreach initiatives and industry meetups that you can get into outside of your studies. A big part of that is getting to know other people in your peer group and building connections and friendships. LinkedIn is a great resource, so join up, and get following the big tech companies in your area. Kainos Academy has a number of programmes that you can get involved in too, from CodeCamp which is currently running  to our graduate programme and our Earn as you Learn apprenticeship – so keep your eyes peeled for some of those great opportunities.

What is Kainos’ Entry Level focus for the future?

We’re committed to growing Entry Level talent on a global scale – the fact that my role exists is testiment to that commitment. The programme and the consistency of that new-start experience really futureproofs this and puts people right at the centre of our strategy like always. Put simply – we are committed to providing the best possible start to your career when you join us, no matter whether you’re in Indianapolis, Toronto, London, or Leeds. We want you to thrive today, and for generations.

Find out more about Entry Level careers at Kainos.