The first Global Energy Talent Index (GETI), the world’s largest energy recruitment and employment trends report, is released today, revealing a significant difference in expectations between hiring managers and candidates.
The report by Airswift, the global workforce solutions provider for the energy, process and infrastructure sectors, and Energy Jobline, the world’s leading jobsite for the energy and engineering industries, indicates that energy candidates are more optimistic than hiring managers, with more than half of the workforce predicting an increase in salaries over the next 18 months – compared to just 23 per cent of those hiring.
Janette Marx, Chief Operating Officer at Airswift, says: “It’s absolutely essential that hiring managers and employees are on the same page if the energy industry is to continue attracting and retaining the talent it needs for a successful future. But at the moment there’s a bit of a mismatch – and not just about the prospect of a pay rise. For instance, a quarter of hiring managers across the sector think that the corporate brand is the most important factor in attracting jobseekers, when in fact the workforce values salary, location and professional development most highly.
“That’s why we’ve developed GETI. By creating the biggest and most comprehensive survey of energy candidates and hiring managers, we’re helping our clients keep abreast of what really matters to the workforce and making sure jobseekers know what to expect when looking for a new role. This is all part of our wider mission to preserve the pipeline of budding innovators and seasoned operators on which the industry depends.”
GETI provides a much-needed health check of the industry’s talent pool at a time when all sub-sectors, from oil and gas to renewables, are undergoing rapid change. It examines in detail the relationship between employers and the workforce, gauges their differing levels of confidence and highlights what matters most to each group. And in doing so, provides a blueprint around which to build the industry of the future.
The report takes a detailed look at the talent situation within the energy industry, including information on hiring rates over the past year and into the next 18 months, global mobility and predicted regional “energy hot spots” and the flow of talent between sectors.
It includes specific insights into the state of talent within the oil and gas, renewables, power, nuclear and petrochemicals sectors. Key findings within renewables include:
One in five hiring managers think there are too few professionals moving into renewables 75 per cent of hiring managers would recruit from other sectors, citing ‘a new way of thinking’ as their reason Half of renewables professionals value a health plan benefit the most, trumping bonuses or commission Hannah Peet, Managing Director at Energy Jobline, says: “Our results show that this is crunch time for the renewables sector. One in five hiring managers think there’s a lack of talent coming into the sector and inadequate planning could be to blame.
“Yet instead of being alarmed by these figures, hiring managers should see them as an opportunity. They’ve recognised this early and while they still have a relatively young workforce. But they need to move fast. By putting the right practices in place now they can avoid unnecessary pain in the long-run.”
Airswift and Energy Jobline surveyed more than 16,000 energy professionals and hiring managers in 156 countries across five industry sub-sectors: oil and gas, renewables, power, nuclear and petrochemicals.