Building the Workforce of the Future in the Energy Sector

In our first interview with Andrea Bellina Head of talent acquisition of Engie, conducted by Francesco Pinci, our marketing manager,  we explored the advantages and challenges of AI, its applications, and its potential impact on recruitment within the energy sector.

In this second article, we shift the focus to the candidate experience, discussing AI’s role in talent acquisition, and how businesses can effectively engage with the next generation through partnerships and outreach.

To address the skill gap and prepare for future challenges, ENGIE Italy launched a specialized Master’s program in collaboration with the Politecnico di Milano.
This initiative combines classroom learning with hands-on experience, ensuring participants gain both theoretical knowledge and practical expertise in energy management, regulatory frameworks, and emerging technologies.

“The future workforce requires both knowledge and practical experience,” Bellina notes. “By launching this program, we aim to provide our employees and external candidates with the full spectrum of skills necessary to navigate the complex energy landscape ahead.”

The 16-month program is designed for both internal employees and external candidates, creating a robust pipeline of professionals equipped to meet the demands of a rapidly changing energy landscape. Bellina emphasizes that such educational programs are key to both individual and organizational success, as they allow ENGIE to build a workforce that is prepared for the sector’s evolving needs.

“By investing in training and development, we not only fill current gaps but also future-proof our talent base,” Bellina says. This approach ensures that ENGIE is well-positioned to lead in both the transition to renewable energy and the digitalization of the sector.

Francesco Pinci, Marketing Manager at Gibson Watts, emphasizes the importance of a human-centric approach to recruitment. Rather than just filling roles, Gibson Watts focuses on understanding candidates’ aspirations and potential, fostering meaningful connections between talent and companies. Through mentorship, partnerships, and personalized guidance, they help individuals navigate their careers in the evolving energy sector, ensuring long-term success for both candidates and businesses.

Engaging with the Next Generation: Partnerships and Outreach

ENGIE is expanding its outreach efforts to engage the next generation of energy professionals. These efforts include sponsoring hackathons, participating in career fairs, and fostering university partnerships that link academic knowledge with industry needs. Bellina is an advocate for integrating energy industry challenges into the academic curriculum to ensure that graduates are prepared for the demands of the sector.

“We need to teach the next generation to think outside the box and challenge the status quo,” Bellina says. “At ENGIE, we encourage students to come up with innovative solutions, whether that’s in renewable technologies or energy storage.”

In addition to STEM-focused outreach, ENGIE aims to diversify its recruitment efforts by reaching out to a broader pool of talent. The company has begun collaborating with organizations focused on underrepresented communities in energy, including those that work to increase opportunities for people with disabilities and ethnic minorities.

Francesco Pinci, Marketing Manager at Gibson Watts, also emphasizes the complexity of the current moment, a time of uncertainty for companies operating in the sustainability sector. In this context, the human relationship and the trust built between a recruiter and a candidate become fundamental. It’s not just about a job title; it’s about a story, a person who must be placed at the center to be empowered in their career path and supported through every stage of their growth.

The Role of AI in Talent Acquisition: Tool or Replacement?

In today’s recruitment landscape, artificial intelligence is playing an increasing role in automating aspects of the hiring process. From screening resumes to matching candidates with job descriptions, AI has become an essential tool for recruiters looking to streamline processes and reduce time-to-hire. However, Bellina remains cautious about relying too heavily on AI in hiring decisions.

“AI can help us speed up processes and reduce hiring times, but it cannot replace human judgment,” Bellina emphasizes. “AI is great for efficiency, but when it comes to the complexities of human behavior, understanding motivations, assessing leadership potential, or evaluating cultural fit, that’s where humans excel.”

While AI can efficiently handle administrative tasks, the qualities that make a candidate a good cultural fit or an effective leader are often intangible and beyond the capability of machines to assess accurately. Bellina explains, “Soft skills, adaptability, and long-term potential are areas where human judgment continues to be essential.”

Bellina believes AI is a valuable tool to optimize recruitment processes but should never replace the “human touch” in decision-making. “The role of AI is to assist, not replace,” Bellina notes. “AI should enable us to be more strategic, allowing us to spend less time on the repetitive aspects of recruitment and more time on evaluating candidates holistically.”

Conclusion

Both Pinci and Bellina see AI as a facilitator, an accelerator of processes and a source of broader idea generation. However, they emphasize that it must always be guided by human expertise, as only through human knowledge can responses evolve and deliver increasingly accurate outcomes.

At Gibson Watts, we have integrated AI into our processes to save time and to gain new perspectives on certain situations.

Working with hundreds of candidates each week across the sustainability space, in regions such as the USA, Canada, and Europe, requires a fast yet highly tailored approach.
This is only possible through human sensitivity and understanding, especially when engaging with individuals in pivotal roles whose careers have followed uniquely complex paths.