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The role of Talent Acquisition in closing the green skills gap

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Tackling the skills crisis for a sustainable future

The role of Talent Acquisition in closing the green skills gap

Foreword

As business sustainability management becomes increasingly important, the recruitment industry has a unique opportunity to help organizations adapt by fostering innovative hiring practices that prioritize sustainability and build long-term resilience. Challenges should be seen as opportunities, and resistance to change seen as a problem to be solved.

As a global leader in talent acquisition services, AMS is well positioned to help organizations investigate the challenges ahead and forge a path for success.

To learn more, AMS reached out to talent leaders across a range of industries to examine trends and challenges related to the topic of green skills. We sought to understand the technical skills, knowledge, behaviours, and capabilities required to support a sustainable society, and to measure the extent of the green skills gap. The global survey reveals just how challenging it is to attract talent with green skills today and explores the reasons why. Potential barriers to bridging the green skills gap are investigated in our study. We also uncover the optimism that exists amongst talent leaders regarding bridging the green skills gap and propose critical actions organizations can take to respond to the challenges identified.

David Ingleson

Sector Managing Director, Energy Engineering and Industrials, AMS

Part 1

The rise of green skills

Sustainability is arguably the world’s most pressing concern. Around 1 million plant and animal species are threatened with extinction, many within decades, due to human activities1. Global energy-related CO2 emissions grew by 1.1% in 2023, increasing 410 million tonnes (Mt) to reach a new record high of 37.4 billion tonnes (Gt)2. Forty percent of the world’s population lacks access to clean and safe drinking water3. And in the past 150 years, half of our planet’s agricultural topsoil has been lost4.

It’s not hard to see why, according to recent research conducted by the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training5, working towards a more sustainable future is not only an opportunity for economic advancement, but in our best interests for the future of the planet.

To combat climate change, protect our limited resources, and build social inclusivity and equality, the world is turning its attention to the green economy. The green economy refers to a circular system that aims to bring about sustainable development by reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. The green economy encompasses various sectors and activities that promote low-carbon, resource-efficient, and inclusive practices.

If we want to address the green skills gap, we need to understand that all future job roles will require green skills.”

– Allen Blue

As the world focuses its efforts, important terms such as green talent, green jobs and green skills have emerged. These terms are often used interchangeably; however, they refer to distinct yet interconnected aspects of the transition to a sustainable economy.

Green jobs are jobs in various sectors that specifically contribute to preserving or restoring the environment6. These jobs aim to reduce the environmental impact of economic activities, enhance energy and resource efficiency, and promote sustainable practices. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), green jobs are those that:

  • Reduce consumption of energy and raw materials – these are jobs that focus on energy efficiency, renewable energy production, and sustainable resource management
  • Limit greenhouse gas emissions – these are positions that involve activities aimed at reducing carbon footprints, such as those in the renewable energy sector
  • Minimize waste and pollution – these are jobs in waste management, recycling, and pollution control
  • Protect and restore ecosystems – these are roles in conservation, reforestation, and sustainable agriculture

Examples of green jobs could include renewable energy technicians who install and maintain solar panels or wind turbines, energy auditors who assess energy use in buildings, or environmental engineers, who develop systems and technologies to reduce pollution and manage waste.

While green jobs remain critically important, the term green skills has risen to prominence over the past few years. Green skills are the building blocks of the transition to a green economy, and refer to the broader set of technical skills, knowledge, behaviors, and capabilities required to tackle the environmental challenges we face7, whether in traditionally green jobs or not. Green skills include capabilities like environmental awareness, sustainability reporting, creativity and innovation, or environmental impact assessment.

Industry perspectives: the increasing importance of green skills

Green skills, unlike traditional green jobs, are now being found – and sought after – in nearly every industry. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as according to Climate Impact Partners, two-thirds of the Fortune 500 companies now have at least one significant climate commitment to adhere to8.

In our research, we asked business and talent leaders to share their views on the prevalence of and need for green skills in their own industry, and across other sectors. What we found suggests a real shift in the long-held view that green skills are only vital in “green sectors”. The results indicate that leaders now agree that green skills are important or even crucial in the vast majority of industries, see Figure 1.

The original “green sectors” continue to top the list

Not surprisingly, the Energy sector is still deemed to be the sector in which it is most crucial to have green skills (even though the definition specifically stated ‘not renewables’), with nearly 90% of respondents marking it a crucial skillset. The Utilities sector held the second spot with 78% of respondents noting that green skills are crucial. And finally, around three quarters of talent leaders said both Industrials and Materials must have green skills to operate today.

New sector demands for green skills are emerging

While talent and business leaders were clear that green sectors will continue to need green talent, there was a clear indication that new industries are turning their attention to this requirement. More than half noted that the Education sector must have green skills. Likewise in Healthcare, with 47% of respondents marking this industry as having a crucial need. Our research showed that Consumer products, including discretionary products and staples, should be prioritizing this skillset as well, while 41% of respondents deemed that Real Estate must look for green skills to thrive in the future. The sectors deemed least likely to need green skills at this time included Tech, Communications and Financial Services.

These results showcase the rapidly increasing awareness that green skills are important or crucial for every sector of the economy. This is an important recognition of the need for all sectors to think about sustainability seriously, and to consider this through the lens of attracting green talent to build a workforce for the future. It’s a critical shift in the talent landscape with far-reaching implications for TA and HR leaders who are already having to rethink hiring strategies due to a global skills shortage amplified by declining birth rates.

The green skills gap: urgent need, short supply, unclear path

Unfortunately, while the appetite for green talent is in high demand, we found through our research that it remains in extremely limited supply. It is projected there will be a shortage of 7 million green energy workers by 20309. Likewise, LinkedIn recently found that growth in demand for green skills is outpacing the increase in supply10. Our research shows that organizations are keenly aware that current approaches will not close the urgent gap (see Figure 2).

Figure 2: How quickly do you think the green skills gap needs to be bridged so business and government can deliver on their stated targets? 0-5 years - 84%, 6-10 years - 9%, 11-15 years - 4%, 16-20 years - 1%, never - 1%. How quickly do you think the green skills gap will be bridged as things stand, with the current stated policies and commitments by government and business? 0-5 years - 7%, 6-10 years - 20%, 11-15 years - 32%, 16-20 years - 24%, never - 9%.

When respondents were asked how quickly they felt the green skills gap needed to be bridged so that we can deliver on our stated targets (e.g., keeping global temperatures in line with the Paris Agreement), 84% felt this needed to be done in the next 5 years, whilst only 7% felt that this would be achieved in 5 years with the current policies and commitments by government and business.

84% of respondents said something needs to be done urgently to address the green skills gap, but only 7% think something will

Barriers to closing the green skills gap

Given this disconnect, it’s vital to understand the barriers to bridging the gap. We asked our respondents which of several factors they believe most hinders the widespread adoption of green skills in the global workforce. Talent leaders were widely split in their responses (see Figure 3).

Figure 3:Which factor below hinders the widespread adoption of green skills in the global workforce? Lack of collaboration between business, government and education sectors - 24%, High initial costs and investment required - 20%,  Insufficient training and educational programs - 20%, Resistant to change from traditional practices - 20%,  Lack of government initiatives and policies - 17%

Insufficient partnerships, limited training opportunities, high investment costs, resistance to change, and a general lack of effective collaboration are all cited as potential barriers, with a nearly even split across each. With such a spread of issues at play, there clearly needs to be a multi-faceted approach to addressing the green skills gap. In the next section, we examine approaches that encapsulate holistic collaboration, a willingness to invest with a longer timeframe in mind for returns, more training and educational programmes linked to the development of green skills, more willingness to accept change, and policies and initiatives in government that directly address the problem at hand.

1 UN Report: Nature’s Dangerous Decline ‘Unprecedented’; Species Extinction Rates ‘Accelerating’ – United Nations Sustainable Development
2 CO2 Emissions in 2023 (iea.blob.core.windows.net)
3UN Report: Nature’s Dangerous Decline ‘Unprecedented’; Species Extinction Rates ‘Accelerating’ – United Nations Sustainable Development
4Impact of Sustainable Agriculture and Farming Practices (worldwildlife.org)
5Cedefop; OECD (2015). Green skills and innovation for inclusive growth. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
6What is a green job ? | International Labour Organization (ilo.org)
7IEMA – IEMA – Defining Green Skills
8Fortune Global 500 Climate Commitments | Climate Impact Partners
9Will a Green Skills Gap Put Climate Goals at Risk? | BCG
10Global Green Skills Report 2023 | LinkedIn

Part 2

Building green skills momentum

With the scale, complexity and scope of the challenge abundantly clear, our research turns to the opportunities and strategies that can help address the gap. Our findings are clear: there will not be a one-size-fits all solution for a global workforce to solve a global issue. Instead, there are multiple paths that leading companies are forging to build a foundation of green skills.

This section explores three key themes that emerged from our respondents – these are the activities that are gaining momentum among organizations and across industries. Our research uncovers the effectiveness of each today and presents several prospective opportunities to take the work further.

I. Promoting collaboration

Collaboration is essential to bridge the green skills gap. Moreover, effective collaboration needs to happen not only between government, business and the education sector but also with society at large (including the public and the media). Simply put, without holistic collaboration across all parties we will not solve the problem of the green skills gap and therefore climate change.

Effectiveness of partnerships today

Our research reveals that only 8% of organizations rate the collaboration between government, business and education as extremely effective today. On the flipside, nearly half of all respondents marked the current state of partnerships as only slightly effective, and a worrying 21% tell us it is not effective at all. See Figure 4.

Figure 4: How highly would you rate the collaboration between government, business and education in bridging the green skills gap? Extremely effective - 8%, moderately ffective - 14%, slightly effective - 56%, not effective at all - 21%.

What’s needed: Educational partnerships

Digging further, we asked organizations about the role that educational institutions play in today’s efforts to close the green skills gap. We specifically wanted to understand if tailored curricula could help strengthen the partnership model. A staggering 88% of talent leaders say this would be effective (see Figure 5). This is a significant call to action to all talent leaders to build strong connections with education providers and start influencing the content of curricula, so they align more closely to evolving industry needs.

Figure 5: How effective do you think it is to collaborate with educational institutions for tailored curricula to help in attracting and retaining talent with green skills? Highly effective - 47%, somewhat effective - 41%, not very effective - 11%, ineffective - 1%.

What’s needed: Influence on policy

Similarly, we found that collaborating with government to influence the policy agenda is a key piece of the solution. 83% of talent leaders felt it would be effective to engage much more with government departments in an attempt to proactively shape the policies pertaining to the green skills agenda, rather than work in retrospect (see Figure 6). While it is not unusual to see large organizations influencing the policy agenda of government, talent leaders should think very carefully in terms of how they may be able to shape the green skills agenda, or at least encourage their executive committees to become involved.

Figure 6: How effective do you think it is for your organisation to collaborate closely with government to influence the policy agenda to help in bridging the green skills gap? Highly effective - 31%, somewhat effective - 52%, not very effective - 11%, ineffective - 7%.

II. Nurturing a green skills pipeline

Building green talent requires the training and development of green skills – the skills, knowledge, and competencies that enable individuals to contribute to sustainable development and environmental conservation. The concepts of green education and eco-schools have begun to take root around the world, with dedicated programming aimed at cultivating citizens and leaders who are equipped to make meaningful and sustainable shifts in their communities and countries.

Most of these initiatives incorporate a three-pillar approach, which focuses on a reduced environmental impact of the campus itself, increased health and wellbeing among the school and parent community and increased environmental literacy for students . Schools that are recognized for their innovative approaches include The Green School in Bali and the University of California in USA .
However, beyond these localized efforts, our research shows that a significant disparity still exists between the current state of broad green skills education and what is required for the future. Most existing educational programs fall short of equipping the population with the necessary knowledge and abilities.

Effectiveness of green education today

When it comes to the topic of how effective current educational programs are in equipping individuals with the green skills required for the labour market today, there seems to be a significant mismatch between what industry needs, and what educators are actually providing. We found that only 5% of talent leaders believe that mainstream educational programs are highly effective in preparing candidates for the green labour market. A staggering 62% of respondents gave a failing mark to current educational programs in their ability to prepare learners with adequate green skills. See Figure 7.

Figure 7: How effective do you consider current educational programmes in preparing individuals with adequate green skills for the labour market?  Highly effective - 3%, somewhat effective - 39%, not very effective - 48%, ineffective - 11%.

What’s needed: Green skills for everyone

Part of the challenge with green education today is its limited reach. As we noted above, there are several schools that embrace the principles of green education and provide high quality green skill building for their students. Our research clearly shows, however, that a much more global, democratized approach is vital. We asked respondents to tell us which demographic groups should be prioritized for green skills education, and the results are very clear: all groups need this training (see Figure 8).

Figure 8: Which Demographic Groups to Prioritize for Green Skills Education? All demographic groups equally - 56%, College and university students pursuing relevant degrees - 12%, Current professionals seeking reskilling/upskilling opportunities - 13%, Other approach - 7%, Young students in primary and secondary education - 12%.

While about 10% of our respondents argued that specific groups of learners would benefit most, nearly 60% agreed that green skills education is critical across all learner groups – from primary students in their earliest educational experiences through secondary students, college and university students, and through to current professionals.

With the short-term need increasing rapidly but with a long-term vision required, I don’t see any other choice than to tackle all demographics. All require attention.”

II. Nurturing a green skills pipeline

Building green talent requires the training and development of green skills – the skills, knowledge, and competencies that enable individuals to contribute to sustainable development and environmental conservation. The concepts of green education and eco-schools have begun to take root around the world, with dedicated programming aimed at cultivating citizens and leaders who are equipped to make meaningful and sustainable shifts in their communities and countries.

Most of these initiatives incorporate a three-pillar approach, which focuses on a reduced environmental impact of the campus itself, increased health and wellbeing among the school and parent community and increased environmental literacy for students . Schools that are recognized for their innovative approaches include The Green School in Bali and the University of California in USA .
However, beyond these localized efforts, our research shows that a significant disparity still exists between the current state of broad green skills education and what is required for the future. Most existing educational programs fall short of equipping the population with the necessary knowledge and abilities.

Effectiveness of green education today

When it comes to the topic of how effective current educational programs are in equipping individuals with the green skills required for the labour market today, there seems to be a significant mismatch between what industry needs, and what educators are actually providing. We found that only 5% of talent leaders believe that mainstream educational programs are highly effective in preparing candidates for the green labour market. A staggering 62% of respondents gave a failing mark to current educational programs in their ability to prepare learners with adequate green skills. See Figure 7.

Figure 7: How effective do you consider current educational programmes in preparing individuals with adequate green skills for the labour market?  Highly effective - 3%, somewhat effective - 39%, not very effective - 48%, ineffective - 11%.

What’s needed: Green skills for everyone

Part of the challenge with green education today is its limited reach. As we noted above, there are several schools that embrace the principles of green education and provide high quality green skill building for their students. Our research clearly shows, however, that a much more global, democratized approach is vital. We asked respondents to tell us which demographic groups should be prioritized for green skills education, and the results are very clear: all groups need this training (see Figure 8).

Figure 8: Which Demographic Groups to Prioritize for Green Skills Education? All demographic groups equally - 56%, College and university students pursuing relevant degrees - 12%, Current professionals seeking reskilling/upskilling opportunities - 13%, Other approach - 7%, Young students in primary and secondary education - 12%.

While about 10% of our respondents argued that specific groups of learners would benefit most, nearly 60% agreed that green skills education is critical across all learner groups – from primary students in their earliest educational experiences through secondary students, college and university students, and through to current professionals.

With the short-term need increasing rapidly but with a long-term vision required, I don’t see any other choice than to tackle all demographics. All require attention.”

III. Finding (and keeping) green skills in your organization

There is no doubt that the green skills gap – similar in ways to the digital skills gap of the past few years – is here and will only continue to widen. According to the World Economic Forum, the global number of green roles has grown 8% per year for the last five years. However, LinkedIn’s most recent research shows that only 1 in 8 people on the platform currently have green skills listed in their profile . And the talent numbers aren’t picking up – over the last five years, while green jobs and roles with green skill requirements rose by 8%, the number of people listing green skills in their LinkedIn profiles only grew 6%.

As an example, a recent study by PwC shows that while the UK will need 400,000 jobs filled to help drive new energy sectors, estimates highlight a shortage of around 200,000 workers with the appropriate expertise and knowledge required .

With this gap ahead, organizations recognize that it will become increasingly difficult to attract, hire and retain green talent. In our study, more than three-quarters of our respondents say that it is already a challenge to bring in talent with green skills (see Figure 9).

More than ¾ of organizations say it’s a challenge to bring in talent with green skills.

Figure 7: How effective is it to offer specialised green training and development programmes to help in attracting and retaining talent with green skills? Highly effective - 31%, somewhat effective - 56%, not very effective - 12%, ineffective - 1%.

Availability of green skills not the only problem

While the lack of available green skills in the market is a big part of the challenge, there appears to be more at play. Our analysis shows that beyond the primary reason of the shortage in supply of sufficiently skilled candidates (43% of talent leaders posited this as the primary reason), there are other factors to consider. See Figure 10.

The results indicate that the availability of development programs, strong competition from other industries, and lack of competitive remuneration and reward are less important for attracting talent with green skills. Many might find this encouraging right now, but it’s worth noting that the digital skills story started in a similar way, with companies outside the tech sector forced to catch up and salaries for digital skills skyrocketing as the war for digital talent heated up rapidly.

Figure 10: Which factor below hinders the widespread adoption of green skills in the global workforce? Insufficient availability of qualified candidates/skills in the labour market - 43%;  Limited awareness from candidates of the organization’s green initiatives and sustainability agenda overall (branding) - 32%, Lack of internal development programs to upskill and reskill talent - 11%, Strong competition from other companies or industries offering better opportunities - 8%, Lack of competitve salary and benefits compared to other industries - 7%.

And perhaps most interesting is the finding that talent leaders believe much more could be done by their organizations from a branding perspective when attracting green candidates. In fact, nearly a third of talent leaders felt the primary reason for not finding green talent was because their organization was not sufficiently bringing to life some of the green initiatives and the sustainability agenda of their organizations.

82% of talent leaders feel that hiring talent with green skills in moderately or extremely challenging

What’s needed: Green EVP

Harnessing the power of employer branding should help alleviate some of the challenges. Take the energy sector as an example. Arguably the biggest impact an aspiring engineer who is keen to decarbonize the world can make right now would be to help a fossil fuel organization with their transition to renewable energy and to decarbonize their oil and gas operations, but it will require some compelling storytelling and employer branding to convince those people not to go straight into the renewable energy sector.

And as companies look to attract the next generations to the workforce, it’s worth remembering that Gen Z has been labelled the “sustainability generation”, building on a trend established by their Millennial peers. Research by Deloitte in 2023 revealed that half of all Millennial and Gen Z candidates scrutinize a company’s environmental practices before even applying, and 1 in 6 have recently moved jobs due to climate concerns.

11https://www.ecoschools.global/how-does-it-work
12https://sustainabilitymag.com/articles/top-10-most-sustainable-schools-in-the-world
13Global Green Skills Report 2023 (linkedin.com)
14https://www.pwc.co.uk/press-room/press-releases/Energy-transition-constrained-by-c200000-jobs-PwC-GJB.html#:~:text=New%20PwC%20analysis%20reveals%20a,meet%20its%20energy%20transition%20targets.

Part 3

Closing the gap:
strategies and
recommendations

To be sure, solving the green skills challenge will not be an easy task. It will require concerted effort and action from across an extended network of leaders from industry, education, public policy and economic development entities. However, organizations can and should take the lead, with innovative skilling, hiring, attraction and retention initiatives.

Our research has examined the challenge from multiple angles, and our analysis has revealed several opportunities for talent leaders to act. From this research, several key recommendations surface as critical to the green skills conversation. Organizations should consider how best to apply each of these actions within the context of the unique culture, workforce, leadership and business strategy of your company.

1. Embrace a long-term mindset. As a talent leader, educate yourself and your team about local and global issues. Encourage your organization to focus on critical planetary issues. Continuously listen to your workforce and the labour market to ensure deep visibility of essential green skills. Set up innovation hubs or labs to experiment with new technologies and approaches to sustainability, involving employees, partners, and stakeholders. Foster a culture of perpetual learning that rewards green skills development.

2. Champion collaboration. Work with government agencies to advocate for policies that support green skills education and workforce development. Work with schools, colleges, and universities to create programs and courses that focus on green skills and sustainability. Form partnerships with non-governmental organizations to support community-based sustainability initiatives and training programs. Inside the organization, establish cross-functional teams within the organization to work on sustainability projects and initiatives. Establish internship and apprenticeship programs that allow students to gain hands-on experience in green jobs.

3. Apply green skills with a fresh lens. Build clear, consistent awareness of what green skills mean in your organization. Identify the green skills that exist today in your workforce. Look at core and adjacent green skills, including capabilities like project management, data analysis, and communication that enhance green initiatives. Understand the size and scope of your green skills deficit. Examine opportunities to “re-badge” traditional non-green skills. Regularly review your green skills framework as these emerging skills are changing and shifting all the time. Look outside of typical “green jobs” to apply green skills across roles and work in your organization. Consider the transferability of green skills across technical and non-technical roles.

4. Let your green show. Align your core values with your sustainability efforts and commitments. Involve your employees in sustainability efforts by actively listening and engaging them to participate in local and global initiatives. Be transparent about your company’s sustainability goals, challenges, and achievements. Highlight your sustainability programs and achievements and publicize employee stories with an omni-channel approach. Showcase environmental and social responsibility in recruitment materials and employer branding to attract like-minded talent.

5. Prioritize specialized training and development. Ensure that your green skills strategy aligns with the overall sustainability objectives of your organization. Create a multi-modal development program for green skills. Partner with local or national educational institutions, environmental organizations, or third-party training providers to offer specialized courses and certifications in relevant green skills. Provide access to online courses and e-learning platforms that offer green skills training. Develop training that focuses on specific green skills required by your organization. Establish green skill mentorship programs so experienced employees can guide others in developing green skills. Offer gig or project opportunities where employees can apply green skills in real-world settings.

We need a collaborative approach to support closing the green skills gap.”

Conclusion

Bridging the green skills gap is of critical importance. While the task may seem daunting, HR and talent leaders are uniquely positioned to be a powerful force in closing the green skills gap and supporting sustainability efforts.

The results shared in this whitepaper show a clear indication that there is real concern amongst talent leaders that not enough is being done quickly enough. However, optimism remains. Our study shows that most leaders believe we still have time to bridge the green skills gap to hit our collective sustainability targets.

The challenges of a sustainable economy of course go beyond skills and talent, but it is our work and our people that will help us solve them. It is for this reason that talent leaders should lead from the front and champion collaboration to bridge the green skills gap.

The status quo is not an option – the time to act is now.

About the Author

David Ingleson, Sector Managing Director

David is responsible for driving growth and setting the global strategy in the Energy, Engineering and Industrials sector for AMS and has been supporting clients with their strategic talent agendas for the last 10 years. Prior to AMS David worked as an in-house Talent Acquisition leader. He has 25 years’ experience of the talent acquisition industry and holds an MBA from Warwick Business School. He recently completed the Business Sustainability Management course at the University of Cambridge, demonstrating his passion for sustainability.

If you have any questions on what support AMS can provide you with in the world of talent, please reach out to David; david.ingleson@weareams.com

About the research

As part of our ongoing examination of the global skills landscape, AMS is studying the importance of green skills in the global workforce. This year, we surveyed over 100 organizations to understand the opportunities and challenges facing companies today, measure the green skills gap, and uncover how leading organizations are successfully hiring and retaining this critical new capability. Respondents came from multiple industries, geographies and company size. Our analysis provides a clear picture of the current state and provides actionable guidance to talent leaders on how to bridge the green skills gap.

About AMS

We are a talent solutions business

Working with clients across the globe, we have learnt what it takes to build a high performing employer. It starts with talent; sourcing, selecting and keeping the right people in the right jobs.

To do this well, you need unmatched expertise in digital innovation, and a deep understanding of the complex needs of the talent you are seeking to engage – whether that talent is external to your business or already inside it. Taking a holistic approach to the HR value chain and to attracting and retaining a world class workforce enables business success.

10,000+ experts, across 120+ countries, speaking more than 50 languages, delivering projects for the world’s most admired companies.

We are AMS. This is what we do.

Talent is our world.

We are AMS. This is what we do.

Talent is our world.

Our approach to sustainability

We are proud of the comprehensive approach we take to the environment, our impact on society, global corporate citizenship, and governance. For us, these are not just some of the most pressing issues of the day. They are at the very heart of how we conduct business. They always have been – and they always will be.

Across AMS, we focus our activities on the six United Nations Sustainable Development Goals where we believe we can have most impact: gender equality; reduced inequalities; decent work and economic growth; good health and wellbeing; affordable and clean energy and climate action. For more information, please read our Corporate Report.

The Energy Engineering and Industrials Sector at AMS

The Energy, Engineering and Industrials (EE&I) Sector in AMS constitutes a significant part of AMS’ global business. We work with many of the world’s leading EE&I organizations providing services from global transformative RPO, through to talent consulting services and digital solutions. Our strategy focuses on supporting organizations that are responding to the megatrends at play in the sector such as the decarbonization of industry, the energy transition, digitalization, and electrification. We collaborate and innovate in true partnership with organizations that are working towards a sustainable future for us all.


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AI in HR:

Leap over hiring hurdles and get straight to the right candidates

Get on track with talent technology

Today’s talent acquisition teams are grappling with an increasingly complex and rapidly changing market.

In the face of a prolonged time-to-hire cycle that is averaging 42 days, the current recruitment landscape presents numerous hurdles that hinder swift and precise hiring – from sourcing brand new skills, to higher candidate rejection rates, and increased competition for top talent.

Right now, the importance of finding a suitable candidate fit cannot be overstated. Both employers and job seekers benefit immensely from targeted candidate matches that are fuelled by skills and expertise.

Enter: Artificial Intelligence (AI).

AI can transform the approach to job hunting and recruitment. Harnessing its power can provide a strategic advantage, enabling companies to pivot towards agility, data-driven decision-making, and enhanced efficiency.

While leveraging this technology’s diverse capabilities to overcome barriers requires thought and planning, once successfully done, it can streamline recruitment efforts for faster, fairer outcomes.

This article delves into strategies for navigating this exciting new technology in its many forms. It addresses the hiring hurdles facing TA teams right now and explores how AI-driven talent tools can make all the difference in getting you straight to the right candidates.

Feeling the ambition to hire with AI?

Looking to integrate AI into your business and start overcoming the hiring hurdles in your organization? Here are some tips to help embrace the power of AI:

– Invest in AI-powered platforms tailored to your organizational needs, objectives and values.

– Foster collaboration between HR, IT, and AI specialists, and incorporate feedback into the strategy.

– Develop clear guidelines for AI implementation in recruitment processes.

– Provide comprehensive training on AI tools and methodologies.

– Cultivate a culture of learning, innovation, experimentation, and adaptability of AI applications.

– Emphasize data privacy and ethical considerations in AI usage.

Talent teams shared with us how they are gearing up to use AI

29%

Said customized outreach emails could be made more compelling by AI

31%

Said targeted job descriptions could be made creative with the use of AI

53%

Said automating interview notes with AI could help create concise summaries

41%

Said AI can strengthen hiring by creating faster short lists of candidates

*Results from four AI LinkedIn polls during April 2024

Overcoming your hurdles: common hiring obstacles and how AI can help

Examining your current hiring process from a bird’s eye view can pinpoint the areas that are consuming the most time and creating an unnecessarily long candidate journey.

It could be that Sourcers are multi-tasking multiple steps upfront with a candidate, or that recruiters are targeting the wrong individuals. Whatever is creating this friction, it’s vital to figure out what is stopping your talent team from reaching their end goals.

Talent Hurdle #1

Misuse of valuable time

Many TA departments are spending hours of their precious time and resource on admin-intensive jobs, such as interview scheduling and transcription, when they could be focusing on more valuable areas like improving the candidate experience and creating meaningful connections with applicants.

AI Action

Give small processes to AI

Tech-powered interview transcription and summarization capabilities allow recruiters to gather information quickly and store data effectively. And by automatically scheduling candidate interviews using agile and dynamic AI – problem solving will naturally improve and can help enrich the recruiter and candidate relationship. Taking these tasks away from recruiters ultimately allows them to interview more people per role, and in more depth.

Talent Hurdle #2

Disjointed candidate experiences

From job posting to acceptance, this multi-step journey requires careful assessment. A target audience need to feel engaged with your brand. They want to engage in a conversation in their language, using digital channels to ensure there is a cohesive experience throughout. But recruiters could benefit from more time focusing on their tasks while AI handles creation of a more engaging and consistent process.

AI Action

Elevate their journey with AI

AI can be used to create more compelling job descriptions, as well as more personalized and relevant outreach emails. Using chatbots and other AI-powered communication tools will offer candidates an experience that is highly personalized to them. This interactive and multi-channel candidate communication experience will benefit hiring prospects and require less manual effort from recruiters.

Talent Hurdle #3

High numbers of applicants

Providing every candidate with a great experience can be challenging, especially when recruiter resource is scarce and applicant volumes are overwhelmingly high in some cases. Without the right support and consistent communication, candidates could become disillusioned and drop out of the process to find other opportunities.

AI Action

Let AI tailor your talent pool

Skills mapping tools driven by AI create a more accurate skills fit between open roles and candidates. It means recruiters spend less time on the wrong individuals, providing a clearer path to candidates who are truly fit for the job. With a smaller but significantly more relevant talent pool to work from, recruiters can focus their energy on engaging the right people, effectively.

Talent Hurdle #4

Missing out on strong candidates

Many of today’s TA teams don’t have the ability to create skills profiles and global skills maps – or if they do there might be constraints around the processes here. This means that more diverse and underrepresented candidate groups, or remote-based candidates are often overlooked. As a result, the talent pool for open roles may be considerably limited.

AI Action

Cast your net wider with AI

As well as removing the wrong candidates from your hiring process, AI-powered skills mapping tools can also help to widen the original candidate search from which to create your finessed shortlist. AI technology can improve access to skills insights and pinpoint skilled individuals (both local and global) who may never have been seen or considered before, helping to create a more diverse talent pool.

Talent Hurdle #5

HR’s internal performance and talent management needs a boost

Is your helpdesk not functioning the way it was intended? Service centre functions could use an over haul? Are you finding costs are getting sunk into internal tech tools that don’t integrate and make sense for the business?

AI Action

Enhance your performance management with AI

Utilizing AI can help teams to run their internal processes more smoothly and uncovers areas of opportunity for internal mobility, workshopping, brainstorming etc. It can also identify areas where employees can be upskilled to perform new tasks.

Staying on course with ethical and compliant AI

While pinpointing ways in which AI can refine your hiring process is important, it’s also vital to ensure your AI solutions are rooted in compliance.

At the moment, there are many legislations and partnerships underway to formalize the process for leveraging AI as it finds its place in our world. With a near-daily influx of new AI-driven tools, staying up to date on these ever-shifting AI trends and legalities is crucial. But it can also be overwhelming.

So, where to start?

As a first stop in hiring safely with AI, consider how you’re using it. Do you need talent development in the AI space to enhance your workforce’s AI and talent tech capabilities, would you like machine learning and AI to support you in finding hires, or are you on the hunt for talent technology? Then understand what is happening in the AI safety regulations within your region. Will key announcements in global legislation impact your plans to adopt or leverage AI?

You may also consider working with an expert technology advisory partner with hands-on experience in a wide variety of AI tools. Organizations, like AMS, specialize in implementing and optimizing AI for businesses – from setting clear business goals that AI can support with, to upskilling internal teams and ensure readiness for AI adoption.

“While AI in recruiting has enormous potential, teams should validate the recommendations and work with their vendor partners, like AMS, to make sure these systems are trained on relevant data – and make sure real-world recruiters are involved.”

– Josh Bersin, The Josh Bersin Company

Questions to ask to avoid improper use of AI:

– Who has audited this tool or AI model and what were their findings?

– What data does this tool require to operate and does that data pose a risk?

– Are data points too limited? Is the system transparent?

– What processing is happening outside of the AI? Is other technology being used anywhere? Has it been tested?

– Are my candidates using AI to apply? How is this impacting hiring as well?

AI in talent: achieved! What’s next?

You’ve set out on this AI course, witnessed the transformative power it brings to your hiring game. Checked that box, conquered those obstacles. But let’s pause for a moment: did you truly reach the right candidates?

AI in talent acquisition isn’t a one-and-done deal; it’s an ongoing adventure that will require innovative and adaptive mindsets. To thrive, you’ll need to embrace change with the resilience and agility of a talent trailblazer. Because let’s face it, the employee of tomorrow isn’t just skilled—they’re open-minded, and ready to unleash AI’s true potential.

In this tech-forward hiring game, data reigns supreme. AI’s expertise hinges on its access to the key information. Without a steady stream of insights, trends, and patterns, its potential is limited and so is your ability to keep up with the talent you need.

The future of talent success lies in the willingness to adapt to tech.

The future of recruitment will present novel capabilities – such as around audio and video – that are likely to play a role in your hiring.

Prepare for big change ahead. AI demands a reimagining of your operational playbook and an overhaul to your team’s skills. It’s not just about compliance; it’s about unleashing the full potential of your tech-savvy workforce.

“By leveraging the opportunities tech-enabled RPO will bring to automation, administrative tasks and predictive insights, it allows people to do what they do best – transforming the candidate experience.”

Nikki Hall, Chief People Officer, AMS 

Ready to start overcoming your hiring obstacles with AI?

Need help getting started with Artificial Intelligence in Talent Acquisition?

Talk to AMS today.


Steps talent leaders can take to help Early Careers hires make an impact

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Are Gen Z ready for the world of work?

Ensuring candidates are ‘work ready’ is something businesses have been championing for many years. After all, new employees that can hit the ground running contribute greatly to business success.

But the last three-to-four years have brought this requirement to the forefront of people’s minds. The latest generation to enter the workforce haven’t had access to the same opportunities to learning as previous generations, thanks in part to the pandemic, when education and businesses were in lockdown for nearly two years. This has had a knock-on effect – something today’s employers need to empathise with and understand the impact.

Today’s early talent is not as ‘work ready’ as previous generations. In fact, according to research conducted by Intelligent.com, 40% of business leaders believe that Generation Z graduates are unprepared for today’s workplace.

So, what else has changed? And why is this new generation more in need of a clear and informative work-readiness approach than ever before?

Nearly one third (32%) of graduates feel unprepared for getting a job.

-Prospects Survey, June 2023

New generation, new issues

Here are some identifiable causes for a lack of ‘work readiness’ among today’s Early Careers candidates.

Virtual isolation

As well as the isolating impact of COVID-19 in the workplace, virtual environments have made things challenging for candidates and businesses. Many Gen Z candidates know nothing of being in a workplace environment. They haven’t had the luxury of an internship or done any in-person work experience therefore they don’t have many of the skills previous cohorts may have naturally possessed.

Office etiquette

Gen Z are the first digitally native generation so they are more than capable with digital interaction, but what about when it comes to going to work in the office? With interactions happening mostly online, work etiquette has become a big issue. Practices that are acceptable at home are not appreciated in the office. Company codes such as punctuality for meetings, how to dress in the office – Gen Z has less awareness of how business operates and expectations within specific environments. 

Different attitudes to work

Candidates’ attitude to work has also changed. Today’s cohorts want more from work, they want purpose, a feeling of belonging, they want to work for a company that aligns to their values. This has lead Gen Z to be more open with their employers. The new generation know that it’s a candidate driven market so are not afraid to tell employers what they think, whether this could be how to improve, what they like or don’t like about working in that environment.  This is why drop-out rates and retention rates are rising in some cases, as employers don’t understand the changing expectations of new hires and how they want to be communicated with or what they want from work.

Hybrid hopes

Lastly, hybrid working is still here. Our new generation is used to working when and where they want to. A recent survey by Handshake showed that 73% of Gen Z employees valued a flexible-working schedule. Remote, hybrid and other forms of flexible working are some of the wellbeing initiatives they expect from employers. Cost of living pressures require flexibility to work remotely, people don’t expect to commute 5 days a week, and candidates will require flexibility in any role offered to be a competitive option.

Over a quarter (26%) of Early Careers candidates cited ‘getting work experience’ as their biggest challenge over the past year.

– Prospects Survey, June 2023

How to make Generation Z ‘work ready’

The good news for employers and hiring managers is that our future talent are keen to learn. Nearly half (47%) of Gen Z professionals say they’re spending more time on learning and development to get ahead in their careers. This gives businesses a good platform to build on.

Here are some of the ways you can support your newest employees and keep them with you for longer.

Get back to basics

Many Early Careers employees may need to be taught basic business etiquette, including how to write a business email. This generation uses social media to communicate, often in shorthand. Consider setting up some bite-sized training for your new employees, to help them get off to a good start.

As well as teaching them how best to communicate and interact, it’s also crucial to demonstrate the importance of working as a team. This helps to encourage personal growth and improve resilience, providing young talent with the skills to adapt in the face of future obstacles.

Buddy them up

A great way to establish expectations and expose them to etiquette and nuances is to team new candidates with a mentor or work buddy. Mentorship is a powerful way to engage, upskill and support students and recent graduates, not least because they’ll probably have experienced the concept before in an educational setting.

Make it more engaging

Providing helpful onboarding information is important, but it needs be delivered in a way that sticks. Using digital content and webinars to educate and upskill people can be more effective than written information, for example, as can onsite preview events to showcase what comes next and network.

Giving feedback in an empathetic and personal way will also have greater effect. Instead of talking across a table, for example, try sitting side-by-side. Breaking down barriers is the most important objective before a candidate joins, make them feel part of your business from point of application or offer.

Review your flexibility

Many businesses are set in their ways of working. (If it works, why change it?) But, with the latest generation of candidates, flexibility will be key to success.

Talk with your candidates about how they like to work. What may look unproductive could be just a different way of doing things. For example, typing on a phone doesn’t necessarily mean a candidate is playing games or texting friends; many Gen Z professionals use their phone to write notes. Progressive employers will get – and keep – the best talent by listening to their candidates’ opinions and adapting the way they work.

Flexibility will also include those all-important working-from-home options.

Be upfront about career prospects

Leaving things to the last minute rarely works. It’s the same when talking about career prospects. If you want to avoid candidates jumping ship, show them where they can go in the business. This will give them focus and meaning, helping them see the bigger picture.  Providing role models who can illustrate varied career paths are impactful and authentic, being able to create learning journeys that are broad and fulfilling is key.

Make the effort to meet them in person

Even though a lot of the onboarding process is virtual, making the effort to meet candidates face-to-face can make a difference. By connecting with someone, whether that’s a recruiter or line manager, they start to feel part of the business. Forming those relationships early on means bonds are made, making candidates want to stay with a business.

Make sure everyone has a positive experience

Your employer brand is everything. Make a bad impression and it can affect how many candidates you attract. Make sure everyone who touches your organisation has a positive experience, whether they’re successful or not.

Candidates who are happy with the selection process and engagement are 38% more likely to accept an offer.

– AMS Talent Team survey

Need some help?

Changing the way you do your onboarding can be a big step. That’s where an Early Careers  recruitment partner can help.

They can provide the expertise and technology to educate, engage and upskill candidates with everything they need to join your business, making them feel part of your business before they even accept an offer. It’s work-readiness training that works for your business.

At AMS, our Early Careers coaching products enable you to make meaningful connections during application and pre–join stages, nurturing candidates during the selection phases, educating and inspiring them to be part of your organisation, and increasing the likelihood of retention. This inclusive approach not only reduces drop-out rates, but also improves the probability of candidates accepting an offer, and contributes to a positive and lasting relationship with your organisation. Learn more in the video below.

Need help in providing onboarding that provides a positive outcome for you and your Early Careers candidates? Talk to AMS today.