Impact Case Study – SIRO

MyCareerPath pilot programme
with SIRO

Industry: Telecommunications

Keywords: Upskilling, Career Assessment, Career Learning Pathways, eLearning Courses, RPL Toolkit, Career Guidance, Workplace Learning, 1-to-1 Mentoring.

CASE STUDY SUMMARY

SIRO is a 100% fibre-to-the-building network, built on the ESB infrastructure. With no copper connection at any point in the network, making it faster and more reliable. SIRO employs 150 people across Ireland.

1. Idea: Supporting SIRO in people development, upskilling, and career planning.
2. Process: A personalised 4-stage mentored programme with professional guidance councellors.
3. Goal: Employee engagement in developing skills and knowledge for current and future business needs within Siro. Empowering employees to be responsible for their own career progression plans.

Background

SIRO is an open access fibre network operator founded in 2015 as a joint venture between Vodafone Ireland and the Electricity Supply Board (ESB). The company offers high-speed fibre-optic broadband services to internet service providers, who in turn offer the service to customers. SIRO’s network covers 90 towns and cities across Ireland and aims to deliver high-speed internet connectivity to both urban and rural areas.

Collaborating with MyCareerPath enabled us to:

  • Provide employees with access to bespoke career development advice.
  • Develop our employees understanding of their abilities and capabilities to achieve their full potential.
  • Facilitate conversations about strengths and opportunities within SIRO.
  • Continue to build skills for agility and adaptability to meet organisational goals.
  • Assist employees in exploring further education to help achieve their personal goals.
  • Guiding employees to understand what recognition of prior learning is – and how this can enable their progression within the organisation.
  • Developing employees’ confidence across the five main areas of employability.
  • Building networks within the organisation. 

“The overall aim of piloting and collaborating with mycareerpath.ie was to provide knowledge to our employees in career development management skills and support them to achieve their full potential within SIRO. Additionally, the recognition of prior learning and 1-to-1 mentored support is very beneficial and instrumental in supporting our employees to match their current experience to areas of study.”

WHAT WE DID

Step 1: Business Needs Assessment

MyCareerPath collaborated with Siro’s HR Team in bringing a group of employees through a four-stage mentored career pathway – with a focus on developing career management skills in order to empower up-skilling and cross skilling options for progression within SIRO.

Step 2: Planning Phase

MyCareerPath met with HR to talk about the learner cohort they wished to onboard.

Step 3: Onboarding

Met with employees to discuss registration onto the programme, with emphasis on 1-2-1 individual mentored support to achieve personal goals and to outline how the programme will be rolled out.

Step 4: Engagement

Career Advisors support individual employees along a 4- stage mentored pathway. Developing personal skills, and the confidence to engage with change by upskilling or reskilling for opportunities within SIRO.

Step 5: Evaluation & Outputs

Received feedback on: Learners’ experience. Engagement with mentors and platform resource. Supported their commitment to self-development and career planning goals.

PATHWAYS CHOSEN

Careers and Learning Pathways

The MyCareerPath Team introduced the five distinct pathways, (which are individually tailored) to HR and the group of employees undertaking the pilot.

  • 1 Learner completed New Beginnings
  • 9 Learners completed Career Accelerator Pathway
  • 5 Learners completed Mastery Pathway
  • 2 Learners completed Dream Builder Pathway

OUTPUT FROM THE PROCESS

Employees career development plan

  • Employees receive guidance from a qualified Careers Guidance Advisor on the 5 pillars of employability
  • Employees have clearly defined parthways and transversal skills gaps analysis
  • Employees are more engaged in career development plans
  • Access to e-learning resources to support career learning goals
  • Recognition of prior learning information
  • A Career and Development Plan with SMART Goals and future career objectives

TESTIMONIALS

Catherine O’Sullivan, Senior Accountant

“The mycareerpath.ie pathway programme was very beneficial to me, particularly the strengths profile assessment. My career advisor provided impartial suggestions on courses that could improve my skills in specific areas. These conversations helped me identify what I enjoy about my current role and where I see myself in the future, especially considering the impact of AI and how other technologies will disrupt accounting roles. I am interested in pursuing Springboard programmes that will differentiate me from others in my field.”

Blanaid O’Regan, Director of People & Culture

“mycareerpath.ie has been very well received by our employees. It is a missing link in our career development work. The tools and personalised expertise that works with people to identify what best suits them and how to do it. It has helped our employees better focus on next learning steps.”

Ash Burke, Corporate Affairs Manager

“mycareerpath.ie has been a great resource for my personal development. I have been using the Career Accelerator programme to further understand my strengths and skills, and what I need to do to achieve my goals. My mentor has been open-minded, helpful, and responsive.”

Overall feedback from SIRO on the Platform, Career Assessments and E-learning tools:

The response to this programme has been great, and it has generated numerous requests from individuals who did not participate but have heard about it through word of mouth. One of the major benefits of the programme is that it has enabled people to create a career development schedule tailored to their needs. There has been feedback from employees that they have applied for college programmes as a direct result of their pathway journey. In the past people often want help and guidance when making study decisions, as this is both a time and cost decision, it can be difficult to know the right advice, so this service has been invaluable. While we do offer online learning opportunities, it is most effective for individuals who already have a clear understanding of their objectives. For those who may be less focused, this program offers essential support to help them better understand their options.

17

PARTICIPANTS TOOK PART

Chosen from a range of levels across the department over an 6-8 week period

184

OVERALL LOGINS

eLearning Hub visited 195 times Careers Assessments completed 49 times

1060

ACTIVITIES COMPLETED

eLearning Resources viewed 187 times MyExperience.ie visited 17 times

Feedback

HAVE YOU APPLIED
FOR AN ATU COURSE?

76%

YES
DID YOU FIND THE ONLINE SERVICE ACCESSIBLE, EASY TO NAVIGATE AND AVAILABLE 24/7?

100%

YES
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND
THE SERVICE?

100%

YES

100% rated online element highly

Personal Mentors
Gave learners motivation and confidence on career development and future learning opportunities.

Top eLearning Courses 
5 Ways to Categorise your Strengths & Skills, Career Planning, Leadership & Management Skills, What is a Growth Mindset and Why is it Important?, Setting Objectives