THE ELECTRICITY LINES INDUSTRY IS CURRENTLY FACING A CRITICAL CHALLENGE: A SIGNIFICANT SHORTAGE OF SKILLED ENGINEERING TALENT.

This issue is not only hindering the sector's ability to maintain and enhance existing electricity infrastructure but also its capacity to innovate and adapt to the evolving demands of energy production and distribution in the push to decarbonise the global economy.

The talent shortage persists despite transmission line engineering roles generally paying better salaries than many other areas of engineering and offering up opportunities to work across a diverse range of disciplines.

To be an engineer in our field can require you to be a jack of all trades. On any given day, you may deal with transmission line design, assess pylon foundations, and advise on power system planning.

It’s the breadth and diversity of the role that attracted both of us to the industry. It’s not just us -engineers come from a wide range of backgrounds, including mechanical, electrical or civil/structural engineering background and people say they love the variety of work on offer in the powerline industry.

WE HAVE AN IMAGE PROBLEM

So why aren’t we seeing more engineering recruits coming through?

We think the profession has an image problem.

It isn’t being particularly well served by the education sector, which is producing STEM graduates in large numbers, but failing to direct enough of them into this high value area of engineering.

Our industry has work to do in partnership with education providers around the world to generate a pipeline of engineers to meet the needs of the industry – today and for the future, as our needs are changing.

The industry is currently facing a transformation, with electricity grids requiring integration to renewable energy sources. As an industry, we need to ensure the education providers and potential talent understand that there is a these new engineering challenges and opportunities require a different skillset and approach.

Groundline is attempting to address the low profile of transmission line engineering, by working with educational institutions to promote the profession and offer opportunities for internships and a career in the industry. We are proud to be an Approved Training Provider of the Institute of Civil Engineers in the UK.

But we can’t do this alone.We want to see more students study engineering-related qualifications and go on to work in transmission line engineering. The world will need thousands of additional engineers in the next decade to help the planet transition to a low-carbon economy, so every electrical engineering company has its part to play in developing the skills pipeline.

RETAINING AND RECRUITING TALENT

We also need to do a lot more to retain and foster the talent we already have and make the industry more attractive for bright young graduates with a world of opportunity in front of them.

For too long, firms in our industry have poached staff from each other, rather than focusing on growing the pipeline, and overall pool, of available talent. It has led to transactional relationships with team members, who are easily lured away by the carrot of another pay increase.

Groundline has 70 staff spread across four countries. We don’t have a high staff turnover rate for one key reason. Our staff acquisition and retention strategy isn’t solely remuneration-driven. Yes, we offer competitive salaries, but we understand that many other factors decide whether an engineer stays with Groundline long term.

We have a multi-generational workforce and the wants and needs of each team member are different. We don’t employ a ‘one size fits all’ strategy to keep everyone happy and productive.

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HERE ARE FIVE THINGS WE FOCUS ON TO HELP OUR TEAM THRIVE AND GROW:

1.  A strong culture: We highly value trust, integrity, and honesty to keep each other safe, engaged and delivering the very best for each other and our customers.Working across borders, time zones and work sites, we place a lot of emphasis on effective communication and collaboration.
2. Employee wellbeing: We work in a complex industry where health and safety is paramount.Transmission line engineers encounter a multitude of hazards from the obvious high voltages, to working at heights. And this culture of looking after each other extends beyond health and safety. We are often working to tight deadlines and tasked with overcoming major engineering challenges. It can be stressful at times. We have an incredibly resilient team who have each other’s back.
3. Flexible working: This is very much aligned to employee wellbeing and recognises that the majority of Groundline staff don’t keep regular office hours. Maintaining an open and flexible work structure, allows people to be in the office, work from home or from a customer’s site and still be able to deal with all of the day-to-day non-work related things in life. Our team has flexibility to structure their working day to suit their needs, avoiding the daily commute if it suits them. We have a shift to focusing on achieving outcomes and not the hours being done.
4. Career development: To get the best out of our people, we give them opportunities to grow their skills and confidence. This can come in the form of advanced certification and training programmes, and opportunities to work on unique and challenging projects. We also strive to ensure there is sufficient room for growth in the business, so the Groundlines team has scope to progress in seniority and to work on exciting new projects.
5. Diversity: Our workforce comprises at least 15 nationalities, numerous religions, and for the engineering industry, is relatively gender diverse. Our people come from a wide range of backgrounds, some straight out of school,others with multiple degrees to their name. The richness this diverse workforce brings is truly inspiring. It encourages creativity, provides varied perspectives and improved problem solving. It results in high employee satisfaction and engagement. This approach to diversity ultimately broadens the pool of potential engineers available to us, but also plays a big part in boosting the resilience and performance of Groundline and the industry we operate in.

WE NEED TO ACT FAST

The engineering talent shortage in the electricity lines industry poses a significant challenge that requires immediate and strategic action.

By focusing on retaining the skilled workforce already in place whilst actively working to grow the talent pool, the industry can begin to address this issue. Implementing strategies such as fostering a strong company culture, offering flexible working conditions, and partnering with educational institutions to promote the profession are essential steps towards ensuring the industry can meet its current and future challenges.

As the industry navigates the path to decarbonisation and integration of renewable energy sources, attracting and retaining skilled engineering talent will be more critical than ever. Groundline is committed to doing its bit to bridge the talent gap.

Kyle James is Groundline’s General Manager, Consulting ANZ, and Neil Finch is Groundline’s Principal UK-based Overhead Line Design Engineer.

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GROUNDLINE ENGINEERING

Groundline is a global consultancy specializing in transmission and distribution lines engineering services for network operators and service providers. 

We bring creative thinking to projects, ensuring solutions are cost-effective, resilient, safe and good for the planet.  

With offices in the USA, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, we have experience in all aspects of the power lines industry - from 11kV to 500kV+, new builds to refurbishments, condition assessments to asset management, site support and design verifications, to project management. Our team have worked around the world, from remote, dry deserts, to wild, wet rainforests, urban cities, to cyclone-prone prairies.

Whatever challenges you face, we understand your requirements.

Get in touch to discuss how we can ensure your power network is fit for the future.

Contact us here