Recruitment in the energy transition: why talent is increasingly the real bottleneck

For many organisations, recruitment in the energy transition s long past being a supporting process. While investment in sustainable energy, infrastructure and electrification continues, the pressure on employers to find the right people keeps growing. The energy transition takes more than engineering and capital. It also takes enough talent to actually carry out the plans.

That’s no longer a side issue. In its Regio in Beeld 2025-2026 report, UWV (the Dutch employee insurance agency) warns that the energy transition could stall because of staff shortages. The pressure is greatest in the sectors that are needed, directly or indirectly, to make the transition possible, such as engineering, IT and construction & installation.

The labour market is slightly less tight, but not where it really hurts

At the macro level, the labour market is less extremely tight than it was a few years ago. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported 101 vacancies per 100 unemployed people for the first quarter of 2025. But that general picture says little about the roles the energy transition actually depends on. In the same quarter, construction had the highest vacancy rate of any sector, with 81 open vacancies per 1,000 jobs.

UWV sees the same thing in its employer data. In February 2026, UWV reported that 58% of employers are still struggling with labour market shortages. On average, employers say 45% of their vacancies are hard to fill, but in construction that rises to 71%. Shortages also remain severe in manufacturing, with roles such as machine, service and electrical fitters among those with the most recruitment problems.

That makes the core of the problem clear: the energy transition isn’t competing for “general staff”, but for people with technical, project-based and digital skills who are also in high demand in other sectors facing shortages.

Why recruitment in the energy transition is especially difficult

The challenge isn’t just about numbers. It’s mostly about the kind of profiles organisations are looking for.

Many roles in the energy transition sit at the crossroads of several fields. Organisations aren’t looking for standard profiles, but for people who understand engineering, can oversee projects, bring stakeholders along and work in an environment where regulation, operations and innovation overlap. That automatically makes the talent pool smaller.

At the same time, many employers are fishing in exactly the same pond. Grid operators, building services companies, energy companies, industrial players, technology companies and consultancies often look for candidates with overlapping skills. That increases the competition for the same talent, even when job titles differ.

Traditional recruitment works less and less well here

In this market in particular, classic approaches to vacancies get stuck faster. A long wish list, a narrow role definition and a slow process all reduce the chance of success. UWV sees that employers are therefore increasingly making different choices: almost a third try to reach other target groups, such as career switchers, and half are training new staff more often because of the shortages.

That’s an important signal. In a market where there aren’t enough people available who have already done exactly the same thing before, recruitment naturally becomes less of a search for the perfect match on paper and more of a question of potential, ability to learn and transferable experience..

What does work

Employers who perform better in this market usually look at recruitment differently.

They start earlier. Not only when a vacancy appears, but as soon as growth, project pressure or transformation becomes visible. Recruitment then becomes part of workforce planning instead of a reaction to an empty chair.

They look more widely. Not only at candidates who come from exactly the same niche, but also at people from neighbouring sectors or with partly overlapping experience.

They’re also clearer about how they position themselves. In markets where talent is scarce, candidates don’t choose based only on salary or job title. They want to know what problem they’ll be working on, what stage the organisation is at, how much influence the role really has and what decision-making, collaboration and growth look like. In the energy transition in particular, where social relevance often plays a part, that context matters.

And finally, they’re faster. In this market, a good recruitment process isn’t an operational detail, but a competitive advantage. Organisations that take too long to align internally, give feedback too late or show too little sharpness in interviews lose candidates to organisations that act faster and more clearly.

Recruitment is increasingly becoming an organisational challenge

That shifts recruitment in the energy transition from execution to strategy. It’s no longer just about sourcing or job ads, but about questions like:

• which skills do we really need;
• which experience is essential and what can be learned;
• where can we widen the search;
• how fast can we decide;
• and how credible is our story to candidates?

This also fits with government policy. In its progress report on the Action Plan for Green and Digital Jobs (Actieplan Groene en Digitale Banen), the Dutch government stresses the need to invest in knowledge, skills and innovation for green and digital jobs. The underlying message is clear: the transition takes more than projects and technology. It also takes building up human capital over the long term.

The bottom line

The energy transition is facing challenges not only in technology, but also in the availability of skilled people. That is why recruitment in this sector is no longer just a supporting function. It is essential to growing, delivering and accelerating progress.

Organisations that recognise this early look beyond simply filling vacancies. They build an approach that brings together workforce planning, skills, positioning and speed. That is where the real difference is made.

Is your recruitment approach keeping up with today’s energy transition?

Many organisations are finding that traditional recruitment methods are no longer enough to attract people for technical and strategic roles in the energy transition. Flexxy helps employers develop a more focused, realistic and effective approach to recruitment in this market, from employer positioning and role profiles to candidate search, recruitment processes and talent strategy.

Looking to improve your recruitment in a competitive market where talent is scarce? Get in touch with Flexxy for an initial conversation.