Head of Energy: Jack Nicholson

So Jack, you celebrated your 6 years at Connectment last year, how does it feel to be a Connectment veteran?

Honestly, a pleasure. I’ve worked closely with Phil for over half a decade and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved so far and what we’re going to achieve in the future. Watch this space!

 

Let’s start off easy. Can you share a bit about your journey in the energy sector and how you ended up in your current role?

I started off in the Energy sector in 2016 working for another recruitment company, I moved to Connectment in 2017 and started off as a junior consultant then progressed into divisional management, now managing a team of 4 consultants. We cover multiple disciplines within the energy sector, including renewables, T&D, civils and infrastructure. We’re rapidly expanding and breaking into new markets to match the demand of the industry.

 

What do you see as the most exciting trends or developments right now?

It’s an exciting time within the sector right now, there are so many emerging technologies hitting the scene. We’ve definitely shifted our focus onto the likes of battery storage and solar alongside the increasing popularity of electric vehicles. This surge in technology of course means there is a demand for investment in infrastructure to support these advancements.

 

Could you highlight some of the unique challenges or opportunities that the energy and infrastructure sectors face in terms of talent acquisition and retention?

We’ve noticed a trend towards salary uplifts lately. I can appreciate that not every company can immediately meet all the needs and values of different levels of staff. But if companies don’t start investing more in their current employees and apprentices, they’ll have to match competitive salaries to move forward.

Other challenges, I’d say are based on retention. We here at Connectment serve roughly an 82% retention rate across all of our clients over a 2-3 year period. However, across the board, a lot of people do chop and change jobs and I think that’s purely down to incentives on the market. Sometimes the business is great, but unfortunately money talks and we need to do something to fight that.

 

What advice would you give to job-seekers looking to break into the industry, particularly in a competitive job market?

I would say, that qualifications are been asked for more than what they used to be. Previously being qualified by experience was enough. I think if anyone can get an HNC or a bachelor’s degree, or even just BTECS to accompany your experience in the market can help you. It is a really competitive, growing market right now. I know university courses are being cut back, but I  think a stronger focus on overseas engineers and apprenticeships will allow generational talent to be formed and can also be cost-effective.

 

Any tips for your fellow recruiters looking to enter the Energy & Infrastructure recruitment game?

To be honest it is the best sector at the moment across the UK. There are 35,000 recruitment companies but there are less than 1,000 focusing on the Energy sector- there’s a massive gap in the market. It does create a bit of competition, however it also creates more opportunities to branch into different areas like America, Europe and even the UK. It also provides stability, if you can support your clients you can create long-term relationships and have a great base going forward.

 

On a lighter note, what’s the funniest or most memorable moment you’ve experienced in your career?

Being in an office full of people and of course being quite close we do keep an eye on what we say on the phone. Once when I was closing a call on the phone, instead of saying “Cheers, take care” I said, “Take a chair, cheesy”. Which was quite embarrassing! And that’s as far as it goes, other than that I’m very good.

 

If you could swap jobs with anyone in the company for a day, who would it be and why?

I would probably swap with Michael, he’s just started his career in the sector and has loads of potential. I started recruiting when I was 22 and didn’t have access to as many technologies as he does now, I’ve had to change my techniques through trial and error. Also, having the opportunity to make money at a young age would be incredible, especially at 17! I think I’d be a millionaire if that were the case.

 

And finally, if you could have any superpower to help you excel in your role, what would it be and how would you use it?

I would be able to read people’s minds through the phone. So I would know what they’re thinking and I could alter my solutions to their problems potentially and it would help with clients as if they had any issues I could resolve it before it was even addressed.

 

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Jack and his team have got some exciting things planned for this year. Make sure to follow him on LinkedIn to stay in the loop with all things Energy & Infrastructure!