Regional Recruitment Challenges Balancing Ongoing Demand and Future Workforce Needs

The current energy workforce presents a complex and, at times, conflicting picture.

There have been well documented redundancies across parts of the oil and gas sector, yet recruitment activity within traditional energy remains active, with ongoing demand for experienced personnel across multiple disciplines.

At Cammach, we continue to support this demand day to day across a range of oil and gas roles, where the requirement remains for individuals who can step in and deliver immediately.

At the same time, long term forecasts continue to highlight significant skills shortages as new energy projects scale, particularly across infrastructure, civils, and renewables.

Through the wider group, this is something we are also seeing across Chance Recruitment, Global Highland, and Be Personnel, where demand for roles in these areas continues to grow, often in different locations and with different skill requirements.

At a surface level, the answer can seem straightforward. Move people from one part of the sector to another.

In reality, it is not that simple.

The issue is not availability. It is whether people can step in and deliver from day one.

Many of the roles being created require specialist skills, certifications, and experience that are not directly transferable. Expectations from projects can be high from the outset, particularly where delivery timelines are tight.

From a client perspective, there is still a need for individuals who can contribute immediately. This means being clear on what is essential from day one, and where there is scope to support development over time.

From a contractor perspective, there is interest in moving into new areas, but the pathway is not always clear. In many cases, building experience through adjacent roles or similar scopes is a more realistic route than a direct move.

The result is a gap between where people are and where the demand is growing.

• Ongoing demand in traditional energy
• Increasing demand across infrastructure and new energy projects
• Skills and experience not yet matching what projects require

At Cammach, this is where the focus sits.

Supporting clients with current delivery needs, while also working with candidates to identify transferable skills and opportunities to build experience in new areas. This also includes working closely with our sister businesses across the portfolio, in conjunction where possible, to ensure both our clients and candidates are able to access the widest range of opportunities.

Recruitment is still happening. The workforce is changing. The challenge is not just moving people, but enabling them to succeed once they do.