How FOIL Talent Leaves Lasting Impact; with Josie West
An interview with Josie West, Chief Innovation Officer
At FOIL, our mission is clear – to equip clients with control of their data evolution. A key component in achieving this is our FOIL Talent proposition. In this interview, we speak with Josie West, Chief Innovation Officer, to understand how the FOIL Talent model works and what advantages it brings to our clients.
Josie, presenting the FOIL Talent Model to our next cohort
So, FOIL Talent, what is the proposition?
Josie – Simply put, with our training partners, we personally recruit recently trained and talented developers to work on client projects with us. These individuals function as developers, filling critical skills gaps that we have helped identify. They will have already undertaken an intensive three month training bootcamp that they’ve funded themselves. Before they onboard with a client, we add another four-weeks of training, including Microsoft certifications, and the softer skills that we need as consultants.
We refer to them as FOIL Talent. They work with our experienced consultants from day one of the project, benefitting from on the job learning with our deep data experts whilst also being supported with mentoring and training from the wider FOIL team. Once the project is over, they stay with the client but remain supported and employed by FOIL for two years, at which point, the client has the option to TUPE transfer them into their team, if it works for them. That time allows them to acquire a deep understanding of the client's business and project, making them a valuable long-term asset.
Quite the make-over to a typical consultancy model! How did you come up with this proposition?
Josie – It’s great isn’t it! As an executive team, we recognised that lots of data and AI projects fail because, despite the best efforts to transfer knowledge, much of it is lost when the consultants leave. Most of our clients aren’t looking for a short-term fix; they are on a long-term journey with their data and AI.
We wanted to build a consultancy with an anti-consultancy ethos – and this capability perfectly aligns with that. If we can leave clients with the knowledge and capability to sustain and build upon what we’ve helped them establish, it means they don’t have to rely on consultancies long term. FOIL Talent means the expertise remains within the organisation, rather than walking out the door at the end of a project.
“It’s designed to tackle one of the biggest challenges in data and AI projects that I see - knowledge retention and long-term capability building”
Outside of the long-term support, what are the advantages of going this route, instead of, say, hiring directly?
Josie – There are so many advantages. Firstly, we’ve been in this game a long time and we know what skills these transformational projects need, so we’re best placed to find them. Yes, you need Data Analysts, Engineers, AI Engineers and all the titles, but there’s a certain type of skillset that is required within those roles to deliver successfully. It saves our clients the time and expense of recruiting and massively reduces the risk – that’s on us as there’s no obligation to hire at the end of the process.
Another huge advantage is that the people nurturing and developing our Talent are experienced consultants, who have embedded talent of all skills into projects of all sizes time and time again. The model provides valuable support and skills transfer that a client might not have the time or capability to invest in.
And of course, a big one is that we specifically hire individuals who have retrained. You cannot pick a more dedicated and committed person than someone who has invested time and money into a new career. Attrition is a huge issue in the tech space for leaders and with the right support, the retrainer model is genuinely a great solution to this.
What’s your selection criteria when recruiting FOIL Talent?
Josie – Before a project begins we work closely with our clients to identify the gaps and their needs based on our combined experience, and from that determine the right skills required. We recruit from a pool of about 8000+ who have then completed coding bootcamps through our training partners. At the outset, we may not know the exact role a candidate will fulfil, so we focus on three areas: technical potential – someone who has a strong foundation and proven potential; cultural fit - someone who has the ability to integrate seamlessly with that specific client’s organisation; and finally, but arguably the most important, someone with a curious mind and a problem solving mindset. With technology changing so quickly, the skill to explore and adapt is really important.
“Take Alex, an electrician with incredible problem solving and very strong people skills, from his experience working with contractors. He’s now working on a placement with Ground Control, that is an organisation of contractors. He gets it!”
You mention that you specifically hire people who have retrained. Why is this important to you?
Josie – If someone has made a deliberate career shift and committed and invested in three to six months of intensive training to becoming a professional developer, it’s the biggest possible signal that they are dedicated, hardworking and eager to learn. They bring diverse life and work experience that is valuable and transferable to many organisations. In our experience this diversity in thought is critical for organisations looking to innovate.
Take Alex, for example. Before joining the FOIL Talent programme he was an electrician and had also completed numerous ski seasons across the globe. He has incredible problem solving skills, and very strong people skills, from his experience working with contractors. He’s now working on a placement with Ground Control, that is an organisation of contractors. He gets it! And that makes him hugely valuable to that project.
Tell me about the two-year term, it sounds like a lot?
Josie – Two years is the right time to properly embed capabilities and change, long-term. From our experience, two years is the ideal timeframe for a developer to grow with an organisation - from a learner to a confident specialist. It also allows time for the individual to embed fully within an organisation and for the client to assess whether the individual is the right long-term fit.
While our Talent make an impact on a project from day one, after two years they become leaders who can mentor, teach, and drive innovation within their teams. They still get that energy from us because even after they’ve transitioned to the client, they benefit from continued connection with FOIL, Microsoft and our active network through the FOIL Collective.
What’s the FOIL Collective? Tell me more!
Josie – It’s a network and a community. It’s basically friends of FOIL, who meet up, learn, develop and mentor one another. Our tagline is to; “join once, stay forever”. The FOIL Collective connects FOIL Talent with a wider Data & AI community. We host quarterly events featuring inspiring speakers; networking opportunities with industry professionals, and continued exposure to advanced training and development in emerging technologies. It means our Talent remain at the forefront of technological advancements, making them an even more valuable asset to their employer.
What have we missed?
Josie – The FOIL Talent model is designed to tackle one of the biggest challenges in data and AI projects that I see - knowledge retention and long-term capability building. I genuinely think this is a game changer that will revolutionise consultancy. Embedding trained professionals within client teams, providing ongoing mentorship, and fostering a lifelong learning community, means our clients don’t just implement solutions - they gain the expertise to sustain and grow them independently.
For organisations looking to future-proof their data and AI capabilities, FOIL Talent offers a unique, risk-free, and highly effective solution. Get in touch to find out more!