Mind the Gap

I fully admit that I am guilty of taking things for granted. When I turn on the light switch, I expect my lights to come on. I don’t spend much time thinking about electricity unless it is unavailable. When I don’t have power, it is all I think about. Even a day without power is a burden and can have serious implications.

One extended bout of power loss was enough to cure me of taking electricity for granted. Even a day without power can be a burden. Now that I am connected to the energy industry, I see firsthand how much this industry depends on specialized talent—talent that’s increasingly hard to find. It is easy to take for granted the supply of talent. It has been assumed that when hiring needs exist, that the right people are available, and the tools and processes used to find talent are adequate. Increasingly, this is no longer the case and both workers and employers are distressed with longer time-to-fill metrics, and ambiguity around the fit of talent for the needs of businesses. I don’t think it has to be this way, but something has to change.

I joined Energy Hire because I immediately saw the benefit of a business that understands the real needs of the workers and the businesses in the energy sector. Those needs are growing as the industry rapidly evolves and expands to meet the increasing needs of energy around the globe. I also know that today’s hiring processes simply don’t meet the energy industry’s needs today, and even less so in the future. With new demands from the renewables boom, evolving skill requirements, and a widening generational gap, the industry faces significant challenges in both attracting and retaining qualified professionals. I believe the solution lies in creating better hiring tools and processes to meet these unique demands. Below are the main challenges I see and why rethinking our approach to hiring is essential for energy’s future.

Generational Gaps and Talent Shortages

A significant portion of our skilled energy workforce is nearing retirement, taking valuable knowledge and expertise with them. After decades of shifting sentiments on the industry, along with suppressed commodity prices, and a lack of building younger talent, there is a gap In skills, talent, and knowledge that is impacting existing energy companies.

Younger professionals aren’t entering traditional energy roles at the pace needed to keep up. Many view the industry as uncertain or unappealing, leaving businesses with critical roles unfilled and struggling to transfer essential knowledge to the next generation.

The challenge of attracting new talent is one that keeps me up at night, as I see the potential for a future talent void. To close this gap, we need to make energy careers more accessible and compelling for emerging professionals. There’s also a real opportunity for energy businesses to think differently about how they source talent. Many jobs in traditional and renewable energy can benefit from attracting people from other industries, particularly when they can bring new ideas, skills, energy, and solutions to energy. Mainly, I think many roles in energy are perfect for people from tech who are looking to apply cutting-edge thinking to tackle old challenges in new ways.

New strategies to build and source talent are needed. Technologies that can look deeper than keywords and help empower HR and recruiting professionals are going to be a vital part of easing this talent and skill gap.

Evolving Skills for Energy Transition

We have all heard news stories that talk about the vulnerabilities of our power grid to cyberattacks. I have faith that the companies responsible for maintaining the security of our energy infrastructure are staying a step ahead of the criminals, but I also know that businesses in the sector need professionals who can ensure that defenses remain strong.

The technical landscape of energy is changing, requiring skills that go beyond traditional expertise. Today’s roles demand advanced capabilities in AI, cybersecurity, data science, and complex project management. As the sector moves toward digital integration, essential soft skills—like adaptability and innovative problem-solving—are also more valuable than ever.

For me, it’s a daily reality that impacts the sector’s ability to thrive. Employers need streamlined ways to assess both technical and interpersonal strengths, while professionals deserve clear development pathways that align with these evolving demands. ?Again, the right tools, will make a difference in connecting with the right people who will drive leading-edge innovation, and action.

Expanding Talent Needs in Renewables

The boom in renewable energy has opened up a wave of new job opportunities that didn’t exist even a decade ago—from solar project managers to materials engineers. However, the talent with transferable skills from fields like tech or manufacturing often lacks a direct entry point into energy. This disconnect is frustrating, and I see its effects on businesses that need to fill roles in renewables quickly and effectively.

In my opinion, a more intentional recruitment approach is crucial. By removing barriers and identifying transferable skills, we can create a talent pipeline that sustains the renewable energy sector’s growth and ensures its success. Additionally, many new knowledge worker roles can be held by people without specific degrees or areas of academic specialization, opening up the door to people who can be vetted on soft skills, acumen, and cognitive abilities that are not necessarily linked to a particular degree or university.

Building Better Hiring Tools and Resources

Energy hiring remains fragmented, with standard job boards and generalized recruitment methods failing to serve this specialized industry. I see talented professionals lost in a maze of redundant applications, while employers struggle to find candidates who match the technical and interpersonal skills needed.

I believe we need purpose-built hiring tools that truly understand the energy industry. Imagine an AI-powered platform tailored to match candidates with industry-specific roles, based on certifications, skills, and even project experience. Such a tool would cut through inefficiencies and build trust by making hiring more transparent, precise, and adaptable.

There are plenty of great tools and resources on the market that are approaching hiring in ways that aren’t yielding positive improvements for businesses or those who seek work. My opinion aside, ask people who are on both sides of hiring and they will tell you that the challenges of creating great connections seems worse today than 25 years ago when job listings in the newspaper classifieds was still the norm.

AI and LLMs are subjects that are unavoidable in any business conversation because in a short amount of time, it has become clear that these technologies can be integrated into nearly any business function with successful outcomes. In hiring, we are still on the leading edge of what AI can and will do to transform hiring. AI is an accessible technology that is perfectly suited to creating better hiring outcomes. One thing that holds lots of promise for improved hiring is AI’s amazing ability to perform data analysis and see discrepancies in data that would not otherwise be apparent to the average person. Additionally, AI-powered tools can be used to help businesses and workers make better-informed decisions. These tools are powerful, but on their own will not yield or drive change. Other technologies and practices that leverage AI will drive the change that is desperately needed.

The Path Forward

Transforming how talent is found and developed in energy is about more than just filling roles. No, it is about creating better hiring experiences for the workers and employers of the sector. It’s about preparing for a future where talent scarcity doesn’t hold back progress. The road ahead will require new ways of thinking, new tools, new perspectives on assessing talent, and a healthy dose of problem solving.

For me, this is personal—it's about ensuring that those entering the industry have clear, structured pathways that match the industry’s growth. I’m committed to developing solutions that empower the next wave of energy professionals and enable businesses to find the talent they need, when they need it. I am also deeply aligned with the needs of businesses to streamline the processes of hiring, and to help hiring professionals view talent acquisition through a new lens.

Now is the time to rethink our approach to hiring in energy. With targeted tools and strategies, I believe we can create a strong, adaptable workforce capable of powering the transformations our industry needs. I also think that standards can be established that suit the industry and people broadly so that hiring can be less of an exercise in subjective assessments, and more focused on letting science and technology guide new routes.

The energy sector is amid a seismic shift as established businesses with historical ties to oil and gas, as well as new entrants in the renewables space position themselves to attract the next generation of talent. Yet, the path forward is encumbered by a critical challenge: finding, hiring, and retaining the right talent to keep up with this transformation. A mismatch between the sector’s talent needs and the available workforce threatens to stall progress, while outdated hiring processes continue to frustrate both candidates and employers.

I don’t think we have the luxury of taking work or talent for granted, and the companies that choose a better path to hiring will be at a significant advantage in a marketplace where the industry competes to acquire the talent needed to drive continued growth and success.

In my view, reimagining the way we approach hiring is long overdue, and the solutions must be disruptive enough to serve the industry’s future without being controversial. It’s time for the energy sector to adopt better tools, processes, and resources—ones that empower talent while equipping businesses to fill roles effectively. Here’s a look at some of the challenges we face and why a new approach is essential.

?

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the quotes and references throughout this article belong solely to the individuals cited, and do not necessarily represent those of Energy Hire or any of its affiliates. The individuals cited are not affiliated with, nor do they endorse, Energy Hire. This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice.

?