Altran UK announces support for ASTRiiD, a charity connecting businesses with professionals affected by long-term health problems

Altran UK has announced its support for ASTRiiD, a charity whose mission is to help people affected by long-term, chronic illness find meaningful work.

The charity was founded by the late David Shutts, whose diagnosis of advanced cancer denied him the social interaction, challenges and rewards that he relished in his working life. David turned a negative experience into positive action, becoming an inspiration for those he termed ‘the invisible talent pool’ and offering hope to people wanting to put their skills to good use.

Altran UK’s first ASTRiiD recruit, Victoria Clutton, has been working as the company’s SharePoint Coordinator for six months: “My experience at Altran UK has been amazing! My co-workers have been wonderfully welcoming, supportive and understanding of my needs. I'm also doing a real job that's useful to the company, which allows me to apply my existing skills while also helping me develop new skills and confidence. I was extremely nervous when I started because this is my first ever job and I was very self-conscious about my needs and limitations, but I feel incredibly lucky to have started my career at Altran UK.”

Mike Simms, Chief Executive Officer at Altran UK, explains why other organisations should enter into a mutually beneficial partnership with ASTRiiD: “Welcoming our first ASTRiiD recruit has been an entirely positive experience. Victoria is a valued member of our team, undertaking important work that will provide the business with the means to operate more effectively going forward. I’m delighted to see more and more organisations embracing this progressive recruitment initiative; those who decide to connect with the invisible talent pool won’t regret the decision.”

Steve Shutts, Chairman of ASTRiiD, commented: “David saw the business sense in connecting the thousands of talented people unable to work under conventional conditions with organisations who would benefit from their contribution. It is great that companies like Altran share our vision and are providing support that will help us to connect companies with other driven and motivated people like Victoria.”

About Altran:
Altran ranks as the undisputed global leader in Engineering and R&D services (ER&D), following its acquisition of Aricent. The company offers clients an unmatched value proposition to address their transformation and innovation needs. Altran works alongside its clients, from initial concept through industrialisation, to invent the products and services of tomorrow. For over 30 years, the company has provided expertise in aerospace, automotive, defence, energy, finance, life sciences, railway and telecommunications. The Aricent acquisition extends this leadership to semiconductors, digital experience and design innovation. Combined, Altran and Aricent generated revenues of €2.9 billion in 2017, with some 45,000 employees in more than 30 countries.

www.altran.com

Contact:
Madelaine Beale
madelaine.beale@altran.com
Tel: +44 (0)203 117 0748

About ASTRiiD:
ASTRiiD (Available Skills for Training, Refreshing, Improvement, Innovation and Development) is a unique UK charity with the mission to provide meaningful work for people with long-term health problems and their carers.
Founded by David Shutts OBE in July 2017, the charity’s online matchmaking services allows businesses to tap into the ‘invisible talent pool’ - highly-skilled people affected by chronic illness, who have dipped under the employment radar with the potential to bridge the UK skills gap. For a long time, this community of people has been invisible to employers, and employers invisible to them. ASTRiiD aims to make the invisible visible. ASTRiiD became a registered charity in January 2018. Registered Charity No. 1176645. For more information, to register or donate, visit http://www.astriid.org.uk and follow on:

Twitter: @Astriid_No1
Facebook: @ASTRiiDNo1
Instagram: @astriiduk

#InvisibleTalentPool

Contact:
Michelle Oliver
Michelle@thetoniccomms.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)191 229 9702