Professional Role and Experience
Lucy van der Tas is the Head of Talent Acquisition at the European Space Agency (ESA), a role she has held since October 2020. With over 40 years of experience at ESA, predominantly in the Human Resources Department, Lucy has played a crucial role in the strategic shaping of ESA's talent acquisition framework. Her extensive career at ESA includes a decade-long focus on recruitment and career management for one of ESA’s largest engineering directorates from 2010 to 2020 and a previous tenure as the Head of Training at ESTEC, ESA's technical centre in the Netherlands.
Talent Acquisition Strategy
Under Van der Tas's leadership, ESA's talent acquisition approach has transitioned from HR marketing tactics, like job fairs and advertising, to a more strategic model focused on developing key areas. Her strategy emphasizes identifying suitable candidates proactively to expedite the recruitment process. This initiative is crucial in maintaining ESA's goal of employing highly qualified staff across its 22 member states and additional associate and cooperating states. ESA's recruitment principles prioritize qualifications, technical competencies, and the representation of its diverse membership, with a commitment to equity, transparency, and diversity.
Recent Initiatives and Challenges
ESA is navigating a significant wave of retirements, with expectations that 44% of its workforce will retire between 2020 and 2030. To address this, ESA has launched new programs like the junior professional program, offering three-year contracts with tailored development pathways and a promise of permanent roles, aiming to attract talent in emerging fields such as quantum computing, AI, and cybersecurity.
Van der Tas's strategy also confronts challenges such as stiff competition for technical roles, particularly in IT, due to the legal and constitutional frameworks that limit flexible, remote work opportunities. Despite high interest in astronaut roles, with 80,000 applications across various positions last year, specific fields require increased visibility to attract suitable candidates.
Recruitment Philosophy
Lucy emphasizes the importance of recruiting first for technical competence and then evaluating soft skills. This focus aligns with ESA's reliance on six behavioral competencies: result orientation, operational efficiency, fostering cooperation, relationship management, continuous improvement, and forward-thinking. The narrative that ESA is the pinnacle destination for space engineering talent underlines the agency’s appeal, although the need remains to expand beyond traditional engineering roles.
Broader Implications and Future Outlook
Van der Tas has been vocal about the need for European industry to potentially look beyond the EU for talent, considering global expertise in regions like India and China. This proposition is underscored by demographic challenges in Europe, including a shrinking STEM talent pool and declining birth rates. Her long-term vision for ESA involves adapting to these dynamics while retaining the agency’s competitive edge in talent acquisition.
Engagement and Communication
Lucy actively promotes ESA as an employer of choice, leveraging platforms and events such as the herCAREER expo and various educational outreach initiatives to engage a diverse potential workforce. This proactive engagement aims to foster early interest in ESA careers, ensuring a pipeline of passionate candidates ready to contribute to the agency's mission-driven goals.
For further insights and contact, Lucy van der Tas can be reached through her [LinkedIn profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-van-der-tas-2016b620/).
