INTERVIEW WITH
INTERVIEW WITH...
A series of interviews with AGR Board Members
ROB FARACE
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“I didn’t go to university – it wasn’t what my family had ever done. Instead I entered the workforce, joining Barnet Council on its fast track scheme.”
“I suppose I am living proof that there are other ways into senior roles and other ways of measuring people’s ability than going to university,” says Rob Farace, Senior Programme-Lead Resourcing at the NHS Leadership Academy.
O
ne cannot argue. Among the achievements on Rob’s CV are his role in the complex merger
between the Imperial Cancer Research Fund and the Cancer Research Campaign (CRC) in 2001, forming Cancer Research UK; and helping to set up the charity’s impressive research institute in Cambridge from scratch. “I worked hand in hand with the scientists helping them to recruit their workforce and set up this state of the art institute exactly how they wanted it. It was fantastic.” Prior to that he worked at The Children’s Society as an
HR Consultant, and helped to introduce the radical concept of involving children and young people in the recruitment process. “There were lots of difficulties involved around issues such as child protection, but we were able to get the children – who are at the heart of what the organisation is about – to chat to candidates and have an impact on the selection process. It made a real difference. Young people felt that they had ownership of the people being brought into work with them – they felt they were getting what they wanted.” This sense of fairness and equality is deeply ingrained in
Rob, and stems in part from his own experience of joining the workforce after completing his A-Levels. “I didn’t go to university – it wasn’t what my family had ever done. Instead I entered the workforce, joining Barnet Council on its fast track scheme.” His experience – and success – has contributed to his frustration around the ongoing issue of many employers using 2:1 as a cut off point. “For me it is important that when I recruit grads I assess them around things that are relevant to their role, to the NHS, and that we use valid tests that we know work well for us, rather than being unoriginal and using the shorthand of a 2:1.” Inclusion is another priority for Rob. “We want to make sure that we have open opportunities for everyone to
24 GRADUATE RECRUITER
apply to our graduate scheme. It’s about more than race and gender – it’s about age, and social inclusion. It’s important that to me that our grad schemes are open to people based on ability and not other factors.” Rob discovered a passion for graduate recruitment
when he was working in HR at Cancer Research UK, where he helped to set up the charity’s graduate scheme. “I found it really interesting and started to specialise. It was a chance to do something innovative. With grads there is a real chance to step back and be strategic, rather than have the pressure to get someone in as quickly as possible.” He is also rewarded by the contribution that graduates
can make to a company. “Although it is smaller numbers, they can have a really significant impact on an organisation and that motivates me. Effective leadership is essential to any successful organisation and The NHS Leadership Academy clearly recognises this. Our goal is to develop outstanding leadership to improve people’s health and their experience of the NHS and our Graduate Scheme is central to this mission.” As well as battling to reassure graduates that, despite
public sector cuts, the NHS still has a wealth of attractive career opportunities, Rob is an enthusiastic representative of the third sector on the AGR Board, and is excited about the period of change that the AGR is experiencing. “Carl is about to step down. He has done some amazing work raising the AGR’s profile and the next stages are building on this and continuing to drive the presence of the organisation.” When he isn’t pouring his energies into graduate
recruitment, Rob can be found entertaining his two young daughters or indulging in the dubious pleasure of watching Tottenham Hotspur. Work must provide a relaxing change.
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