The document discusses strategies for improving recruitment and retention of engineers at an oil refinery. It outlines issues with the previous hap-hazard approach, including being too late, having an invisible brand, and poor retention. The document proposes an integrated approach involving ownership of the process, building vision and reputation, cultivating relationships, being agile, and focusing on retention. Graphs show positive results including improved gender ratio, retention rates reaching 100%, and increased applications.

1. How to get the best for less
Engineered for engineers by engineers
Allyson Black, Caltex Lytton Refinery
15th International Conference for Women Scientists and Engineers

2. Diverse Engineering Challenges
• Do you speak Gen Y?
• “Employer of Choice”
• Breaking the stereotype

3. Is there anybody out there?

4. Lost in the cyberspace crowd?

5. The case for change
• Previous recruiting hap-hazard
– Irregular and reactive
– Direct recruitment or internet advertising (no careers page)
– No ownership of process
• Always too late
– The early bird gets the worm
– Had to interstate to widen the web
• Invisible brand
– “Are you hiring accountants? What do engineers do at Caltex?”
• Poor retention
– Recruits from interstate moving home or moving on

6. Myth-busting
We only need We don’t have
one or two enough money
graduates, that for a flashy ad
won’t be difficult Internet
campaign
advertising will
be good
enough
We’ll have to do We’ll leave it to
something special later in the year to
to hire female see who gets the
graduates best marks

7. Integrated Approach
• Ownership
• Vision
• Reputation
• Relationships
• Agility
• Retention

8. Ownership
• Recent (~5yrs) graduate
• HR Assistance
• Clear expectations
• Timelines
• Allocated small budget

9. Vision
• “Engineers ain’t engineers”

10. Reputation
• Know your audience
– Get young graduates involved
– Be visible and approachable
• Build a profile with your audience
– University guest lecturing
– Mentoring events, plant tours & careers expos
– Institution involvement
• Vacation/Intern placement
– Living advertisements

11. Relationships
• Target your audience
• Find your “Boundary Agent”
Uni
Success
Org

12. Agility
• Be prepared
• Be quick
• Be decisive
• Be willing to go that extra step

13. Retention
• Do – Treat them as an individual
• Do – Focus on training and development
• Do – Give them responsibility early
• Do – Encourage professional development
• Do – Help them build a network
• Don’t – Make promises you can’t keep

14. The Result
180
160
140 Retention
120 100%
100 Male 2008
Female
80 2009
Ratio
60 50:50 2010
40
20
0
Applications

15. The Breakdown
• Know what you need
• Know where to find it
• Know what it looks like
• Know what it wants
• Be visible and make contact often
• Be prepared to strike quickly
• Go that extra step to hook your catch
• Continue the development