FRONT ROW AT THE BACKEND
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CRAFTS HEROES: GROWING TECH TALENT FROM WITHIN
When Essent decided to transform into a tech company that sells energy in 2020, they knew they needed to invest in their engineering talent. But by 2022, they faced a common challenge: their mid-level engineers were asking, "How can I continue to grow my career?"
Enter Crafts Heroes, an innovative talent development program that gives engineers the freedom to shape their own growth journey. JP, a DevOps engineer at Essent, sat down with Djimmy Radstok, one of the program's sponsors, to discuss how this unique initiative is transforming careers and building lasting connections.
A PROGRAM BY ENGINEERS, FOR ENGINEERS
The beauty of Crafts Heroes lies in its open-ended nature. As Djimmy explains:
"We had a lot of thoughts on how we can grow engineers. And actually, every time we came to the same conclusion: they probably know better than us what they want and what they need."
The year-long program gives participants one day per week to focus on their development. What makes it special is that there's no rigid curriculum – instead, participants shape the program according to their needs and interests.
THE THREE ROLES: SPONSORS, MENTORS, AND HEROES
The program operates with three key roles:
- Sponsors: Provide resources and strategic guidance;
- Mentors: Previous program graduates who coach new participants (more about this in the next episode);
- Heroes: Current participants nominated by their managers (stay tuned for a heroes perspective in episode 6!).
THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE YEAR
The program kicks off with a two-day offsite where participants get to know each other and shape their collective journey. As Djimmy describes, the year typically follows a pattern:
"The first month they get to know each other, they start brainstorming... Then we saw them indeed having these really long discussions... They even gave it a name last year - they have the summer dip... And then after the summer dip, you come to this: it's just a few months left in the program and we need to start doing things."
BEYOND TECHNICAL SKILLS
One of the most surprising outcomes has been the focus on holistic development. While technical skills remain important, participants have explored everything from work-life balance to public speaking:
"They invested in a coach, which was called the work athlete. And they learned how to balance that work and life as somewhere in your career, passionate person that just wanted to do more. But you also wanted to take care of your kids. You want to go home on time."
Participants have also received training in giving TED talks and having productive discussions with managers – skills that prove valuable far beyond their immediate technical roles.
BUILDING LASTING CONNECTIONS
Perhaps the most meaningful outcome isn't found in any particular skill or achievement. As Jimmy recalls from a participant's feedback:
"I thought that I would reach all my individual goals. But the most cool thing is I found a group of passionate engineers around me that even if I ever leave Essent, I will still remember that group as my heroes of 2023."
THE RIPPLE EFFECT
The program's success has created a positive ripple effect throughout the organization. Engineers now see it as a milestone to aspire to, asking their managers how they can be nominated for future cohorts.
For Jimmy, the key lesson has been simple but profound:
"Giving people the room to grow is sometimes all they need."
As Essent continues its journey as a tech company, Crafts Heroes stands as a testament to the power of trusting employees to guide their own development while providing them with the resources and support to succeed.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The next episode of the Essent Front Row at the Backend podcast we will continue to talk about the Crafts Heroes program. This time with mentor Mark-Danney Oonk! Stay tuned.