Santander: four years, three programs, one tech talent pipeline
Since 2021, Ironhack has run recurring bootcamps for Banco Santander and OpenBank across five countries, turning open roles into a repeatable talent pipeline instead of a one-off hiring push.
CASE STUDY · SOURCE: IRONHACK ACCOUNT MATERIALS
FROM APPLICANT TO HIRE · ILLUSTRATIVE PHOTODigitizing 100% of a banking group's services needs a talent engine to match
Tech talent is scarce and in high demand everywhere Santander operates. Hiring alone, market by market, couldn't move at the speed the digitization roadmap required.
applicants across three Java talent campaigns since 2021, in Spain, Portugal, the UK, Germany and Poland.
hired from a shortlist of 70, the top 1% of every campaign.
rotation, with 100% of new hires passing their probation period.
countries running the same 9-week bootcamp simultaneously, in Spanish and English.
The same model, adapted to three different talent needs
Java talent pipeline
- 9-week intensive bootcamp adapted to Santander's methodology and culture.
- Run simultaneously across Spain, the UK, Germany, Portugal and Poland, bilingually.
- Three campaigns since 2021, each exceeding its funnel targets.
Digital Product Management
- 3-week intensive bootcamp, 100% in English, fully remote.
- Covers product fundamentals, UX/UI, user research, data and Agile methods.
- Participants joined from Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Chile and Uruguay.
OpenBank #WomenInTech
- A dedicated cohort of women, including candidates from under-represented groups, with reserved seats for candidates with disabilities.
- Java and Microservices, adapted to OpenBank's own stack.
- All 16 graduates were hired as back-end developers.
16 of more than 900 applicants joined OpenBank's tech team
A dedicated back-end developer bootcamp on Java and Microservices, built to close two gaps at once: attracting emerging talent, and closing the digital gender gap.
It was a pleasure for me to join these fascinating women on their first day at work last week and see their energy and enthusiasm as they started their new professional journey. Listening to their personal stories about the dedication they gave to conquering their dreams was very enriching! Now our vital role as an organization is to take the steps to create the conditions for them to flourish.
Ready to build your own talent pipeline?
Start with a single cohort, or plan a recurring program across markets.