Increasing diversity and talent for a Credit Risk IT Group

Key achievements

• ​10 consultants onboarded in just six weeks

• Diverse talent readily available in the Pioneer Programme

• Bespoke training for final three weeks before deployment
• 100% retention after 18-months
  
  

Challenge

In 2022, the Credit Risk IT group within a Tier 1 Investment Bank committed to increase Black and gender representation within their workforce. The existing team was only 20% female, mainly from white Anglo-Saxon or European backgrounds and all their UK graduate intake had come from top Red Brick or Ivy League universities for the previous four years.

The need to increase headcount fast for upcoming projects made the challenge even tougher, and their standard recruitment avenues were simply not up to the task. 

Solution

Our client came to us looking for ten bright new software engineering recruits. Before selection, our Head of the Tech Pioneer Programme delivered three coaching sessions on unconscious bias for the client hiring team, having witnessed many common mistakes when diversifying talent.  

We arranged for them to interview a diverse selection of emerging Pioneers with the required expertise. 80% of those interviewed identified as Black, 50% as female and 60% as social mobility consultants.  

The client was quickly able to fill all vacancies. Each new consultant received an Albany Beck Engagement Manager for ongoing coaching and pastoral care. This additional support helped ensure 100% retention.

Results

In all, it took just six weeks to deploy ten Pioneers to successfully increase the client’s Black, female, socially mobile and neurodiverse representation. The Pioneers are thriving and are all looking forward to going permanent after 18 months.