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  October 16th, 2019 | Written by

How To Entice The Younger Generation Into Utility Careers

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  • There is a serious age crisis within the energy and utility sector at the moment.
  • “The current workplace has been shaped by the older, “baby boomer” generation."
  • “Often, the best talent - and the most willing to work in our areas - is found locally."

Unfortunately, there is a serious age crisis within the energy and utility sector at the moment. Many companies recognized, in approximately the 1990s, that they were facing a severe problem with the age demographics of their workers: younger people didn’t want to work in these areas, due to a number of factors such as better access to alternative education and a lack of faith in the sustainability or career options within such career pathways. However, this has only really started affecting business now, since the older wave of workers are beginning to retire, leaving energy companies scarce of any manpower. So, in these dire times, we must look to the younger generation to fill the gaps and become the new driving forces in the energy and utility sectors, but how can you entice them into joining your company?

Changing Attitudes

Of course, not all of your older workers are going to disappear overnight, so you have to consider the effect and impact that focusing on the younger generation might have on them, due to many cultural and societal clashes which are common between the differing ages of workers. Older workers may see younger workers as finicky and addicted to their material possessions – think less antiques and hand-me-downs and more iced coffees and mobile phones – which may create friction within the workplace which could put off younger workers. Make sure that any pre-existing staff are educated on diversity and how to be welcoming to the younger generation, and inform them of the changes which you are trying to make to the workforce, and the reasons behind your doing so. Education is the best way to avoid this being a problem.

Think Local

“Often, the best talent – and the most willing to work in our areas – is found locally,” says Richard Ford, an HR at Thesis Writers and Big Assignments, “since we often find that implementing training with the surrounding education centres and informational days for students is the way to go. Many kids from the cities won’t know much about creating electricity or the jobs which are involved with energy, but if we reach out to the students living around our workplace and teach them how they can go far in our business, often the pull to stay near home and find a stable job leads them to join a career in our sector, since they can often stay near family and childhood friends, and work and live in a town which they are familiar with.”

In short, education – not only of your staff, but also your possible future staff – is the way to go. Make sure that you are taking advantage of every opportunity to reach out into the local schools and colleges and inform the students of the career options which they have, which are closer to home than frightening and unknown office jobs in big cities with long commutes.

Appealing To The Younger Generation

“The current workplace has been shaped by the older, “baby boomer” generation, who helped to make the culture and social atmosphere of workplaces everywhere appear how they are today,” explains Amanda Wills, an HR at Dissertation Writing Service and Essay Services.

However, in order to appeal to the younger generation, you may need to make a couple of changes, keeping in mind the differing social climate of today. Generally, younger people are more conscious of their social standing, in regards to giving back to communities, so making sure that your company does a lot of work in the community is vital. Younger workers may also want to have more of a say in how the company is managed, so letting them take part in important decisions and making sure that everyone feels like their voice is being heard is also a good idea.

“Although they’re not ‘snowflakes’, younger people do require a different working climate to the generation which we are used to, which may make appealing to them seem a little difficult at first,” Jade Coates, a journalist at UKWritings and Boomessays, states, “but once you have put the changes in place, you’ll find it easy to attract younger workers and revive the life in your workforce, or so to speak! Education is usually the best method, but making sure that you are open and honest is also important, and keeping all rules and regulations (including social guidelines for your working staff) regularly updated is also a good idea, to remove any chances for friction or problems before they can happen.”

Summary

The younger generation may seem difficult to attract to jobs in the utility and energy sectors, but it only takes a little bit of change to get them on board. Investing in education opportunities and keeping your current staff up-to-date and welcoming is always a plus, and developing your workplace for the modern era by keeping the community and social morals in mind can make your company appear more inviting and viable.

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Aimee Laurence writes professionally for Top Assignment Writing Services NSW and Research paper help services. She has a personal interest in the energy industry and enjoys spreading her knowledge on the creation of electricity and the workforce behind it. Also, Aimee is a tutor at Student Writing Services.