The TechWolf Podcast

TechWolf
The TechWolf Podcast

Technology in HR is booming, yet confusing. Many vendors claim to include AI (agents), skills, seamless integrations, and other technologies in their product offerings. In practice, product promises often differ from reality. In this podcast, our host, Julius Schelstraete, holds no-nonsense conversations with business practitioners and thought leaders on everything related to "the skills-based organization": what it is, whether it's realistic, typical roadblocks, real-life use cases, and more. Join us as we move beyond the hype and examine skills-based HR from a critical, realistic lens!

Episodes

  1. Why Skills Still Feel Theoretical—And How CCEP Is Making It Real | Nico Orie

    3 DAYS AGO

    Why Skills Still Feel Theoretical—And How CCEP Is Making It Real | Nico Orie

    In this episode of The TechWolf Podcast, Nico Orie, VP of People and Culture at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), shares why technology investments often fail without equal focus on people. He dives into CCEP's skill-based transformation, the critical gap in how we value human capital, and why organizations must balance AI with a human-first approach. From dynamic work design to driving adoption on the shop floor, this conversation offers grounded lessons for HR and business leaders alike.

    42 min
  2. Fixing Skills Data with AI | Creating Insights from Skills | Lessons from Data Science with Robert Gibby

    19 MAR

    Fixing Skills Data with AI | Creating Insights from Skills | Lessons from Data Science with Robert Gibby

    In this episode, Robert Gibby, current Data Science Director at Cox Enterprises, former Director of People Analytics at Meta, and Chief Talent Scientist at IBM, shares his experience designing AI-powered skills intelligence for workforce planning, talent mobility, and hiring. Robert Discusses: How AI can be used to redefine skills-based job architectureWhy skills-based transformations can stall - how to keep them goingThe problem with self-reported skills data - and how AI improves accuracyHow companies can move from a job-based to a skill-based workforceWhat's next for skills intelligence - and why the future is skills-to-work, not skills-to-job He also unpacks the biggest lessons he learned about using skills data to drive real business impact, talent agility, and workforce planning. Final Take-away: Skills-based organizations don't just need better data - they need Ai-driven strategies to make skills intelligence actionable at scale.

    44 min
  3. DHL’s Talent Tinder & The Future of Skills: How They Built a Winning Strategy with Meredith Wellard.

    13 FEB

    DHL’s Talent Tinder & The Future of Skills: How They Built a Winning Strategy with Meredith Wellard.

    Meredith Wellard is the former VP of Group Talent Acquisition, Learning, and Growth at DHL, where she spent nearly five years laying the foundation for one of the most ambitious skills-based transformations in a global enterprise. At DHL, she championed internal mobility, launching innovative initiatives like ‘Talent Tinder’ to shift hiring from external to internal placements, reduce onboarding costs, and future-proof the workforce. Now, Meredith is taking her expertise beyond DHL, helping organizations navigate the people and change management side of tech-enabled transformations—particularly around skills. A true pragmatist with a deep understanding of HR tech, she’s on a mission to help companies move beyond the hype and make skills work in the real world. In Today’s Episode with Meredith, We Discuss: Why the skepticism around a skills-based organization? Is a skills-based transformation really worth it to pursue? What verticals are in most need to pursue a skills-based transformation NOW? How did Meredith go to pursue one of the boldest skills-based transformations at DHL? Should HR professionals go out to buy tech & AI, and if so - where do you even start? How did DHL get started on their skills journey? How to convince SVP-level leaders to go along on a 5-year-long talent transformation journey? What did DHL do to avoid the business losing patience with the program in those 5 years? What was the business case presented to business leaders? How would you advise companies to get started TODAY? What is beyond the use case of talent mobility? What are companies you look up to for their skills-based approach? Question to our next guest?

    50 min
  4. Sandra Loughlin — Inside a True, Skills-Based Organization

    7 JAN

    Sandra Loughlin — Inside a True, Skills-Based Organization

    Sandra is the chief learning scientist at Epam Systems, a global provider of software engineering, digital platform engineering, and product development services. Interestingly, EPAM has been on a skills-based journey for over 30 years and is as close an example as you’ll find of a skills-based organization. Sandra has been a proud advocate of Epam’s journey and helped build the critical foundations with ups and downs! Key topics in this episode: Should every organization become skills-based? Matching skills supply & demand data The EPAM way and how they stand out in the market The importance of skills data for the business Skepticism about skills-based initiatives Explore how Sandra’s expertise can inspire your journey toward a skills-based organization. My key takeaway quotes: “Skills are owned by the business (...). It’s impossible for a people organization to know what skills are trending, what skills are critical, and start predicting skills needed." "Have someone come in and look at your ecosystem - chances are you have redundancies & gaps." “How long will it take to be a skills-based organization? It is a long-term play because it’s a data play.”

    49 min
  5. Gina Jeneroux — Building a 'Coalition of Belief' for Skills

    25/11/2024

    Gina Jeneroux — Building a 'Coalition of Belief' for Skills

    Gina Jeneroux is the former Chief Learning Officer at BMO Financial Group, where she gained years of experience in enterprise learning and skills strategies, design, operations, and governance. She now sits at the intersection of AI, skills, and industry as the Chief Skills & Innovation Officer at Executive Networks, Professor of Practice in Future Work & Skills, and Director of the Future Talent Research Institute at International Business University (IBU). We cover many topics, including: The skills agenda moving beyond learning How to create business buy-in for skills-based journeys How to select HRtech vendors Leading with strategy & following with technology Managing learning as a business My key takeaway quotes: “Look for the 'wind in the sails' moments .(...) you need to be opportunistic" "You need to build a Coalition of Belief" "The best choice around vendors is to find a match on vision & values" See here for additional reads to this conversation: Online Guide to get started with skills

    44 min
  6. Josh Tarr — Workday's Skills-Based Organization: When Hype Meets Reality

    14/10/2024

    Josh Tarr — Workday's Skills-Based Organization: When Hype Meets Reality

    Josh Tarr is the Director of Skills-Based Organizations (SBOs) at Workday. He and his team are fully committed to the concept of skills-driven organizations for Workday's internal workforce. In this interview, we explore Josh's vision for SBOs and the steps he has taken to achieve it. We cover many topics, from the hype cycle around SBOs to Workday’s skills transformation journey, practical milestones the team has already achieved, and the importance of skills use cases. My key takeaway quotes: “We view this work as entrepreneurial work. (...) It’s like starting up a new business.” “We got started with data.” “Together (with TechWolf), we did in 3 months what other companies do in 18” “The value chain of skills is easy, the work is definitely not easy.” See here for additional reads to this conversation: My reflection blog after the interview HR Brew's article on Workday's Skills Use Case

    58 min
  • 6 Episodes

    Ratings & Reviews

    5
    out of 5
    2 Ratings

    About

    Technology in HR is booming, yet confusing. Many vendors claim to include AI (agents), skills, seamless integrations, and other technologies in their product offerings. In practice, product promises often differ from reality. In this podcast, our host, Julius Schelstraete, holds no-nonsense conversations with business practitioners and thought leaders on everything related to "the skills-based organization": what it is, whether it's realistic, typical roadblocks, real-life use cases, and more. Join us as we move beyond the hype and examine skills-based HR from a critical, realistic lens!

    Information

    • Creator
      TechWolf
    • Years Active
      2K
    • Episodes
      6
    • Rating
      Clean
    • Copyright
      © TechWolf
    • Show Website
      The TechWolf Podcast

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