Brussels is full of talent, but this talent is sometimes invisible to recruiters. As for the dialogue between companies and training organisations, it is still too often non-existent. 'Talent Talks' aims to change that. Join us at Beci on 11 March for the launch of the annual Talent Days series.
Are you familiar with the classic job day? Talent Day is something different. No more piles of CVs and timed interviews, just meetings and exchanges between companies and recruitment trainers. In Brussels, where the employment rate is still too low despite the potential for under-exploited talent, Beci is taking the lead. From 11 March, the ‘Talent Talk’, co-organised with 15 recruitment agencies, will kick off an annual series of events dedicated to employment. ‘This is not a job day where jobseekers come to apply for jobs. The idea here is to explain to companies how they can connect with talent’, explains Catherine Mertens, head of the ESG community at Beci and one of the event organisers.
Talent Day in Brussels
With an employment rate of 65.4% among 20-64 year olds (according to Statbel, 2024), Brussels is struggling to reach the 80% target. And yet there is no shortage of talent in this vibrant capital.
‘Our mission at Beci is to support Brussels companies in meeting the challenges they face, particularly the shortage of talent. There are a lot of people looking for work, but they don't always connect with companies looking for skills. At the same time, there is so much under-exploited talent out there that companies don't know where to look', Catherine Mertens insists.
Talent Day is Beci's response to this problem. ‘On the one hand, there are companies looking for talent, and on the other, there are companies that train them. But these two worlds don't always know each other, and many training organisations remain in the shadows. Our role is to bring them together’, she continues. What's more, instead of focusing solely on candidates who are ready to be taken on, Talent Day invites recruiters to meet the people who train them. The result? A mutual understanding of needs, possible adjustments in training and, above all, long-term collaborations.
A new way of recruiting
Talent Day is fully in line with the reality of the job market, which is constantly evolving. At the same time, recruitment methods need to adapt to these changes. As Catherine Mertens points out: ‘In the past, the recruitment process was based on a very specific questionnaire, but today we have to change that, because it's completely out of date. Remote recruitment, for example, is now common practice. We don't always have that direct verbal contact any more, and that's changing the dynamics.
But it's not just a question of new methods. Today, recruitment is increasingly based on an inclusive approach. ‘Diversity, for example, is becoming important, and it's not just a factor to be added to a recruitment grid’, insists the person in charge of the event. Through Talent Day, Beci also wants to raise awareness of these approaches among companies, so that they become more attractive and in tune with market trends.
Attracting, retaining and developing talent
Today, attracting talent is no longer enough. Companies need to learn how to retain them, support them in their development, and sometimes even re-skill them. In addition to this, Catherine Mertens and her colleagues want to break with a dynamic in which too many young people accept jobs that do not correspond to their aspirations, due to a lack of guidance.
Another problem lies in the management of talent retention. Catherine Mertens explains: ‘For example, more and more employees are falling ill as a result of burnout and stress linked to unsuitable working environments’. These issues need to be taken into account as part of a more global approach, and it is precisely these questions - attracting, retaining, recycling and requalifying talent - that will be at the heart of the discussions at Talent Day.
Practical information:
For whom? Directors and HR managers of SMEs and large companies (places are limited to 50 participants).
Date: Monday 11 March
Time: 2 pm to 6 pm
Place: Avenue Louise 500, Beci