Ask a recruiter – Opportunities to grow your career as a MEP project or site manager

Many Australian organisations, particularly those tied to infrastructure projects, are struggling to find skilled workers. This is partly due to skill shortages, reduced mobility due to border restrictions, and difficulties in accessing overseas talent pools. We talked about these recruitment challenges in a recent blog.

From the candidate point of view, this is a big opportunity. Unless you want to be left behind, it’s important to continually improve your skill set to ensure your career’s survival in this ever-changing environment.

So what actions can you take to acquire new skills and remain relevant in your industry? In this article, we’ll look at some important tools to gain workforce skills and ways to identify project and site management opportunities in the Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) sector.  

Acquiring new skills to become a site manager

Site managers are considered to be a highly specialised role and also high in demand. The position requires strong project management skills, as well as knowledge of building regulations, and occupational health and safety protocols. In addition, the role requires technical skills for electrical, HVAC, plumbing, ventilation, pumping stations, water supply and treatment systems. 

It’s crucial to ensure your skills remain up-to-date and to proactively look for opportunities to upskill.  There are several ways you can achieve this, which include:

• Finding a company that invests in you - In today’s tight labour market, a company that focuses on empowered learning and development will not only try to extend your growth and encourage professional development. They’ll recognise you for your contributions as well.  Companies with effective L&D programs offer agile and personalised learning and provide the tools required to constantly help employees grow.

• Seeking company scheme accreditation - You want an organisation that provides a quality assured pathway for its engineers who want to achieve professional registration. They’ll ensure you receive the necessary training, development, and experience to build a portfolio demonstrating the required level of competence.

• Mentoring and support - A company that offers an effective mentor program can help you fast track your success.  The right mentor should have both the expertise and the skills to listen effectively, challenge you, and provide a supportive and trusting environment to help achieve goals both personally and professionally.  You could also gain specialist skills from a site manager who is retiring or moving to another organisation.

• Job share opportunities - An increasingly popular flexible work arrangement is job sharing.  A clear benefit of job sharing includes progressing your career through the exchange of skills and knowledge between job sharers. You’ll gain more experience while also enjoying the flexibility of part time hours. 

How to find a high quality recruitment consulting company

If you’re looking to move into a MEP site or project management role, here are some important questions to ask when considering a recruitment agency:

1. Are they specialised? The most immediate benefit of working with a specialised recruitment company, such as CGC Recruitment, is our market knowledge.  A specialist recruitment consultant knows what skills are in demand for a specific area of expertise, they know what employers are looking for, and they’re also aware of the market salary rates for the specialised sectors.
2. Do they have a network? Choosing a recruitment agency that has strong networks can provide you with limitless career opportunities.
3. Are they industry leaders? Do they know the trends, updates, and prospects of the industry and can give you beneficial career insight?
4. Do they provide you with interview techniques to succeed? Effective recruitment agencies will help you prepare for any potential job opportunity.

The importance of career planning

Gaining skills to become a MEP site manager may take 12 - 18 months, so it’s critical to have a clear career plan.  As a candidate, having a solid career plan in place can serve as a reliable roadmap.  Utilise our  career plan template to maximise your true potential and let us assist in your career growth, personal growth, and development. 

About CGC Recruitment

There are currently strong opportunities to grow your career in the MEP sector.  Advice on how to acquire new skills, career planning, and tips on how to find the right recruitment agency are just some of the tools CGC recruitment can assist you on your professional journey.  

CGC Recruitment is a team of highly-motivated, experienced recruitment consultants, offering candidates unique industry insights.  We ensure our candidates are offered a consistently high level of service at every engagement. Contact us today to find out more.

You can search our latest vacancies here, or alternatively, upload your CV and we’ll contact you when we have a suitable vacancy available.