The Energy Hiring Playbook Has Changed. Is Your 2027 Workforce Plan Ready?

A Conversation with Ray Lamonica, Director of the FootBridge Company Energy Division

As we enter the final quarter of 2026, energy companies are making workforce decisions that will shape projects and outages well into 2027. For many, the 2027 workforce plan is already taking shape. With 25+ years of industry experience and thousands of specialized searches conducted each year, FootBridge has a clear view of what companies face as they build the teams those projects will require. The talent is out there, but the conditions for finding, attracting, and securing it have changed. 

Ray LaMonica, Director of the Energy Division at FootBridge, works directly with clients facing these decisions, so we asked him to share what he’s seeing in the market and what energy companies should consider now as they prepare for 2027.

1. The job requirements can shrink your talent pool

Having the right skill set doesn’t necessarily make someone available for the job. For energy projects, requirements around travel and on-site work can quickly narrow the pool of candidates willing to consider an assignment.

Ray points to schedulers as a good example. These roles have traditionally been performed on-site, where schedulers can interact with the project team, walk the job and see progress firsthand. While some scheduling work can be done remotely, many clients still want these professionals on-site.

The challenge is finding experienced schedulers willing to make that commitment. Since the shift toward remote work during the pandemic, Ray has seen more candidates become reluctant to take full-time on-site assignments, particularly when significant travel is involved.

Ray’s advice: Define the non-negotiables early. If a position must be on-site, requires frequent travel, or has other conditions that could limit candidate interest, make those expectations part of the recruiting strategy from the start. Doing so helps recruiters focus on candidates who can do the job and are willing to accept the conditions that come with it.

2. You’re competing for talent across projects, not just companies

Energy companies aren’t recruiting in isolation. The same experienced professionals may be needed across multiple projects, facilities, and even adjacent industries simultaneously. Ray points to data center development as one example. Infrastructure improvements and expansion projects can increase demand for many of the same technical skill sets. And, “A lot of companies are looking for the same people,” Ray says.

FootBridge sees that competition directly in candidate conversations. According to Ray, experienced professionals frequently have multiple opportunities in front of them, and sometimes multiple offers. Pay is part of the decision-making process, but so are travel requirements, work schedules, hours, location, project length, and the overall structure of the assignment. A company may find the right person technically but still lose that candidate because another project offers a better fit for them.

Ray’s advice: Before going to market, understand what you can and cannot change. If the location and schedule are fixed, determine whether there is flexibility elsewhere. If the rate is firm, other aspects of the assignment may carry more weight. The goal is to understand how your opportunity will compete for the people you actually need.

3. Every extra day creates another opportunity to lose the candidate

When asked what companies could do differently during the hiring process, Ray’s answer was immediate:

“Move faster. Every day that goes by, there’s another chance that another project pops up and the individual gets called elsewhere.”

Ray’s advice:

Before interviewing, know:

  • Who needs to meet the candidate?
  • Who can approve the rate?
  • How quickly can feedback be provided?
  • What are you prepared to offer?

Speed starts before the interview. Once those decisions have been made internally, the hiring team is better positioned to act when the right person is identified.

4. The right candidate may not be the exact candidate described on paper

When the available talent pool is already limited, an overly rigid list of requirements can make a difficult search even harder. Therefore, Ray says that hiring teams should distinguish between experience that is truly essential and experience that can transfer from another project, facility, or related environment.

He emphasizes that job titles alone don’t always tell that story. A candidate may not use the exact terminology from the job description in their résumé, even if they have worked in environments that require many of the same skills. For example, instead of asking only whether someone held an exact title, consider the work they performed, the type of facility or project they supported, the systems they worked with, and the responsibilities they held.

Ray’s advice: 

Identify your must-haves early on.  Doing so gives recruiters more room to identify candidates whose experience translates to the work without compromising the qualifications the project truly requires.

5. The hiring model should fit the work

Ray is also seeing companies consider contract staffing even when they have traditionally focused on direct hiring.

“I believe they are doing it out of necessity,” he says. “They need to keep their options open and consider all avenues of hiring.”

Contract staffing may make sense for an urgent need, a project with a defined timeline, an outage, or an assignment at a remote jobsite. A direct-hire approach may make more sense when the need is permanent, and the position is intended to remain part of the organization beyond a particular project. An 18-month project assignment and a long-term permanent position don’t necessarily call for the same recruiting strategy.

Ray’s advice: 

Start with the work, then determine the hiring model. Keeping both contract and direct-hire options available gives hiring teams another lever to use when the project, timeline, or available talent makes one approach more practical than the other.

6. A specialized talent pool changes the search

The first five considerations all lead to a larger question: How do you find people who meet the technical requirements and the realities of the assignment?

A résumé can tell you whether someone has experience in scheduling, commissioning, project controls, engineering, or construction. It usually won’t tell you whether that person is willing to travel to a jobsite, take an on-site assignment, work the required schedule, accept the project duration, or consider another contract right now.

That’s where specialization matters.

FootBridge recruiters have spent years working with professionals across energy and other technical industries. Those relationships often continue from one project to the next, giving our recruiters knowledge that goes beyond what appears in a candidate database.

Ray describes it this way: “We maintain a network of people specific to the industry and subject matter experts who are willing to travel.”

Over time, recruiters learn the environments people have worked in, the assignments they’ve taken, whether they’re open to travel, and the kinds of opportunities they may consider next. 

Ray’s advice: 

Instead of identifying everyone who could technically perform the job and then determining whether the assignment works for them, working with a specialized recruiter can focus more quickly on professionals whose experience, availability, and preferences align with the project.

And because those relationships have been built over time, FootBridge isn’t introducing itself to the talent market every time a new need comes in. We’re going back to a network we know—and that knows us.

7. Don’t wait until the need is urgent to start recruiting

The more specific the requirements, the more valuable time becomes. For clients looking at workforce needs over the next six to 12 months, Ray’s advice is straightforward:

Start planning now.

“Plan ahead for roles by identifying upcoming project and outage needs early, so we have time to find the right talent before the need becomes urgent,” he says.

Earlier conversations give recruiters time to

  • Assess talent
  • Identify requirements that could complicate the search
  • Understand candidate wants
  • Establish realistic expectations before a project deadline starts driving decisions.

Put your 2027 workforce plan to the test

As you map out upcoming projects, outages, and workforce needs, three questions can help identify where recruiting challenges may emerge:

  • How many qualified professionals are realistically suited to the assignment’s conditions?
  • Will those people be available when you need them?
  • Will your opportunity compete with the alternatives they’re likely to have?

Those questions are difficult to answer based on résumés alone.

For more than 25 years, FootBridge has specialized in recruiting for energy and other technical industries. Combined with the thousands of specialized searches we conduct each year, that experience gives our team visibility into both sides of the hiring equation: what companies need and what experienced professionals seek in their next assignment.

The earlier we understand what’s ahead, the more time we have to identify potential constraints, reach the right talent, and help you build a recruiting strategy around the realities of the market.

Have an upcoming project, outage, or workforce need? Talk to the FootBridge Energy team early. The sooner we understand what’s ahead, the more time we have to identify the people you’ll need to make it happen.

 

The Roles Everyone Needs, But No One Can Find

Ask hiring managers across energy, manufacturing, industrial construction, and data centers which hard-to-fill roles are giving them the most trouble, and you’ll hear many of the same titles.

  • Superintendents
  • Commissioning professionals
  • Project controls specialists
  • Safety personnel
  • Engineers
  • Project managers.

At FootBridge, we see these positions come up across industries that may otherwise seem very different. A data center project, manufacturing expansion, power project, and industrial facility may be competing for professionals with many of the same core skills.

Then the hiring challenge starts. New projects can be announced. Facilities can expand, and capital investment can increase. But the pool of experienced people able to execute that work doesn’t expand at the same pace. And when several projects need the same talent at the same time, a difficult search can quickly become a project problem.

Why Are These Hard-to-Fill Roles So Challenging?

In the searches our recruiters support, the challenge is finding someone whose experience matches what the project actually requires. Take a Superintendent search, for instance.  A client may not simply need a Superintendent. But they may need someone with electrical experience, experience managing specific subcontractors, or the ability to relocate to a project site. Every additional requirement makes sense individually. Together, they can dramatically reduce the candidate pool.

The same thing happens with Project Managers, Engineers, Safety professionals, Commissioning Managers, and Project Controls specialists. The hard-to-find candidate is often not the person who can do the job. It’s the person who checks every box.

Superintendents: Experience Gets Specific Quickly

Superintendents are a good example of how quickly a broad talent pool can diminish. 

Clients need field leaders who can coordinate contractors and solve problems as they happen. But that’s usually only the beginning of the search.

  • Electrical or mechanical experience may matter. 
  • Mission-critical experience may be preferred. 
  • The project could require someone who has worked inside an operating industrial facility.
  • Travel or relocation may be necessary.

Suddenly, the search isn’t for a Superintendent anymore. It’s for a very particular Superintendent, and other projects may be looking for that same person. Our recruiters are very skilled at knowing if the relevant experience exists.

Commissioning: Competition Peaks When the Project Can’t Wait

Commissioning talent creates a different challenge. Commissioning professionals are needed across data centers, power generation, manufacturing, industrial facilities, and other technically complex projects. Their backgrounds don’t always translate perfectly from one environment to another, but there can be significant overlap.

A client that requires candidates to have already commissioned the same type of facility may be competing for a very small group. A client willing to evaluate adjacent experience may have a much larger talent pool. Knowing which requirements are essential to project success and which can be learned matters because commissioning often happens when schedules leave little room for error. Discovering late in the project that the team is understaffed can create a hiring problem at the worst possible time.

Project Controls: Software Experience Isn’t the Whole Story

Project Controls is another area where resumes can look similar, but experience can vary widely. A Scheduler may know Primavera P6. A Cost Engineer may understand forecasting. But software proficiency alone doesn’t tell you whether someone understands the realities of a complex industrial project. The strongest candidates understand what is happening behind the schedule or cost report.

They recognize how engineering delays affect procurement and how procurement affects construction. They also understand the project, not just its numbers. That combination of technical capability and project experience makes experienced Project Controls professionals valuable and hard to replace.

Safety: Location Can Be Just as Important as Qualifications

Safety searches demonstrate another reality of industrial recruiting. Sometimes the challenge isn’t the skill set. It’s everything surrounding the opportunity. A Safety Manager may meet every technical requirement and hold the certifications a client wants. But will that person relocate? Are they willing to travel? Does the rotation work for them? Is the project duration attractive enough to justify leaving their current position? These questions matter across many of the searches FootBridge supports.

Industrial, energy, manufacturing, and data center projects aren’t always located where the largest pools of candidates live. Therefore, employers aren’t only competing on compensation. They’re competing on location, schedule, project duration, travel expectations, and the overall opportunity. Ignoring those factors can make a candidate shortage look worse than it actually is.

Engineers: The Best Candidate May Come From Another Industry

One of the biggest opportunities we see in difficult searches is transferable experience. Employers understandably want candidates who have already worked in their exact industry. Sometimes that’s necessary. Sometimes it isn’t.

An Electrical Engineer coming from power generation, utilities, oil and gas, chemicals, manufacturing, or another industrial environment may have experience that translates extremely well to a data center or another growing market. The same can be true for Mechanical Engineers, Controls Engineers, Project Managers, Superintendents, and other technical professionals.

The question shouldn’t always be, “Has this person worked on this exact type of project before?”

Sometimes the better question is, “What have they done that proves they can succeed on this project?”

Changing the approach can open a search to experienced professionals who would otherwise never make it through the initial screening process.

Project Managers: Look Past the Title

Few titles illustrate this problem better than Project Manager. Two candidates can have the same title and completely different careers. One may have managed engineering and procurement. Another may specialize in field construction. One may have worked primarily on greenfield projects, while another has spent years managing capital improvements inside operating facilities. With that in mind, our recruiters dig into what candidates have actually managed.

  • What was the scope? 
  • What phase of the project were they involved in? 
  • What disciplines did they oversee? Did they manage contractors? 
  • Were they responsible for schedule and budget? 
  • What type of facility were they working in?

Those details tell us far more than the title itself.

The Biggest Advantage May Be Starting Earlier

We also see another pattern in difficult searches. If a critical person needs to be onsite immediately, candidates who need to give notice, finish another assignment, relocate, or evaluate multiple opportunities may effectively be unavailable. Starting earlier changes the conversation. For positions likely to be difficult, employers can start discussing staffing needs before the requisition becomes an emergency. Recruiters thus have time to identify professionals who aren’t actively applying for jobs, understand when people may be coming off other projects, and start conversations before the competition does.

Hard-to-Fill Doesn’t Always Mean There’s No Talent

When a position stays open, it’s easy to conclude that there simply aren’t enough qualified people. Sometimes that’s true. But other times the talent exists, and the search itself needs another look. That’s when our recruiters go back to the client and ask: 

  • Are there too many mandatory requirements? 
  • Are there transferable skills from another industry? 
  • Is interest limited because of location?
  • Are travel expectations competitive enough? 
  • Did recruiting begin early? 
  • Is the company relying primarily on candidates who are actively applying?

Those are important questions because the answer isn’t always “find more candidates.”

Sometimes it’s looking differently at the candidates who are already out there.

For more than 25 years, The FootBridge Company has specialized in recruiting professionals across energy, manufacturing, industrial facilities, power and utilities, oil and gas, renewable energy, civil construction, and mission-critical projects.

Working across those markets gives our recruiters visibility into something that becomes increasingly important where skills overlap.

The industries may be different. The projects may be different. But many compete for the same experienced people. Knowing where to find those people and recognizing relevant experience when you see it can make the difference between a position that stays open and a project that keeps moving.

Have a position that’s becoming harder to fill than expected? Talk with The FootBridge Company about your hiring needs.

 

A Trusted Staffing Partner for Every Phase of Data Center Construction Projects

A Trusted Staffing Partner for Every Phase of Data Center Construction Projects

At FootBridge, we work with companies involved in data center construction projects and provide the talent to fulfill their staffing requirements. As demand for data centers continues to grow, project owners and contractors need experienced professionals who can keep complex, fast-moving builds on schedule. With more than 25 years of experience supporting industrial construction projects, FootBridge brings an established talent network, a thorough screening process, and a recruiting team that understands the demands of large-scale construction.

Why is data center construction so important?

Data center construction is important now because it’s the development of a new industry, and we haven’t really seen something like this since oil and gas. There’s been a lot of growth in existing industries, but data center construction is really the birth of something new. Because of this, there are a few different phases of construction:

FootBridge supports construction projects at every stage. Many of our clients need help in either one of these phases, or all three, and FootBridge can provide personnel for each phase of the project. 

What makes FootBridge the staffing agency to work for my data center construction project?

For over 25 years, FootBridge has been providing staffing support for industrial construction projects all over the country, including everything from nuclear power plants to oil refineries, agriculture and process plants, food processing plants, pulp and paper, mining, and more. Many people who have experience in a refinery project or a power plant project can also handle a data center project, which creates a convenient overlap in our extensive talent pool where we can find people quickly for clients. This overlap is contributing to the overall growth of the data center industry, too, as people come out of spaces that aren’t very hot right now and are able to get into this new industry. 

How can clients benefit from working with FootBridge?

Our recruiters know what to look for, which is critical to delivering a service quickly, but also to delivering a quality service. We build a lot of rapport with people we have worked with in the past, and this helps in a lot of ways. It allows us to keep people on a project for the whole duration, lessens turnover, and also shows the client we’re invested in their industry. It’s not just about filling a position; we really want to support the space they’re involved in. 

Each client we have at FootBridge is really important to us. Every request is taken seriously, and therefore we want to make sure every candidate is screened well. There are certainly times when a manager may request a slew of resumes all at once, but our process is generally all about quality over quantity. 

Our team takes on the majority of the responsibility in screening candidates thoroughly so clients can rely on us to just deliver a solution, not to have to do our job for us. We put candidates through a vetting process involving quite a few steps, including talking to references, before it ever gets to the hiring manager. In doing so, we tend to screen a few well-qualified candidates who are as close to what the client is looking for as possible, and then engage in a conversation from there. This saves the client time and allows us to provide a better service to them and deliver a higher-quality product at the end of it all. It also helps our team avoid mismatching candidates with a job that might not be the right fit for them. 

What makes the FootBridge team uniquely qualified?

FootBridge has quite a robust recruiting team that has been supporting industrial construction as a whole for a long time. The average tenure at FootBridge is over 5 years, which is quite an outlier in the staffing industry. Our seasoned recruiters really know the industries they support and the people who work in them, giving us quite an advantage when it comes to delivering the service to the companies we work with. 

Our team is also really good at problem-solving. We are genuinely interested in trying to overcome a challenge, and hiring is a huge challenge for a lot of people for different reasons. Every request we get is dynamic, and the team takes pride in trying to come up with solutions for different clients in different locations across the country for different positions. It feels good to help people. We take our time and take pride in what we do. 

Our Natural Transition Into Data Center Construction Staffing

Many individuals and companies are jumping on the data center bandwagon, both in staffing and construction. This is not the case for FootBridge. 

Our support for data center construction projects came naturally in 2019 when an individual at a large tech company needed help with a new data center build. While we didn’t quite know what we were getting into at the time, after talking with him, it sounded really similar to other projects we were already supporting. It grew organically from there, transitioned over the past few years, and the requests from clients we already work with ramped up into shifting to data center construction. 

From there, we began branching out and seeing where else we could support the industry. This is when we discovered there was a lot of overlap with projects we were already supporting. We learned from our clients and from a lot of the candidates we’d talked to or worked with in the past that there was this abundance of support needed, and with our services translating so well, we were more than happy to jump in and help. 

The data center space is definitely saturated, and with that comes characters who may be able to support the industry or may not. If you are a company looking for support with such a critical project, especially during the growth of such a large industry, you need the right support.

 

Contact FootBridge today to see how we can help fulfill your staffing needs.

What Hiring Managers Need to Know About Today’s Engineering and Energy Workforce - A Conversation with Recruiting Manager Steve Cochrane.

What Hiring Managers Need to Know About Today’s Engineering and Energy Workforce – A Conversation with Recruiting Manager Steve Cochrane

I’ve spent years recruiting professionals for engineering, energy, manufacturing, and industrial projects, and one thing I can say about today’s hiring market is that good candidates have options.

There is a lot of work happening across the industries we support at The FootBridge Company. That’s great for candidates, but it can make things difficult for hiring managers trying to build their engineering and energy teams. Companies that move too slowly or get too focused on finding a candidate who checks every single box can miss out on some very good people.

As a Recruiting Manager at FootBridge, I talk with candidates and hiring managers every day. Here are seven things I think employers should keep in mind when they’re trying to hire for engineering and energy projects in today’s market.

1. Speed matters more than ever

One of the biggest mistakes I see companies make is simply taking too long to interview. If one company isn’t moving quickly enough, there’s a good chance another one will. We see it happen all the time. We find a candidate who is qualified and interested in a position, but if it takes weeks to schedule an interview or get feedback, that person probably isn’t sitting around waiting. They’re talking with other companies, interviewing for other projects, and potentially receiving offers.

That doesn’t mean companies should rush into hiring someone who isn’t right for the job. But if you see a resume you like, schedule the interview. If you have a good interview, provide feedback and keep things moving. The longer you wait, the greater the chance that the candidate will be off the market.

2. Look beyond the exact job description

Another thing I encourage hiring managers to do is be flexible when it comes to experience. Sometimes we’ll speak with a candidate who doesn’t have the exact background listed in the job description, yet they have a lot of transferable experience that could make them successful in the role. Maybe they’ve worked in a different industry but have similar project experience. Maybe their previous title was different, but the work itself was very close to what the hiring manager needs.

That’s where it helps to look beyond titles and focus on what the person has actually done. Technical knowledge, project experience, safety awareness, leadership ability, and experience working in complex industrial environments can all transfer from one setting to another. If you’re too rigid about finding the “perfect” resume, you can end up passing on someone who could be a great addition to the project.

3. Communication builds trust with candidates

Communication is probably one of the biggest things candidates value when working with a recruiter. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve spoken with who say they submitted a resume through another recruiter and then never heard from that person again. No feedback. No update. Nothing.

We try hard not to operate that way.

When I receive feedback from a hiring manager, I want the candidate to know. If they have an interview coming up, we’re going to help them prepare. If the hiring process is taking longer than expected, I’d rather tell them that than leave them wondering what happened.

We’re also checking in to find out what else they have going on. Are they interviewing somewhere else? Has anything changed with their current job? Are they getting close to another offer?

When communication is consistent on both sides, the entire hiring process becomes easier. It also gives our clients a much better understanding of where a candidate stands throughout the hiring process.

4. Data centers are creating new workforce demand

One area I’m especially interested in right now is data centers. They’re being built all over the country, and those facilities need a huge range of people to design, build, commission, operate, and support them. But it goes beyond the data center itself. All of that infrastructure needs power, creating additional opportunities across the energy and power markets.

We’re seeing demand that touches engineering, construction, electrical infrastructure, power generation, utilities, commissioning, operations, and other supporting disciplines. From a recruiting perspective, it’s exciting because these projects are creating opportunities for candidates from a wide range of backgrounds. It also means companies may increasingly compete for the same experienced people.

5. Difficult Positions Require a Hands-On Search

When a client comes to us with a position they’ve been struggling to fill, we first want to understand why it’s been difficult. Maybe the skill set is very specific, there aren’t many qualified candidates in the area, or the people with that experience are already working. From there, we’ll start with the local market and then expand the search if we need to 

Other times, it takes a much deeper search. That means spending hours going through our internal database, LinkedIn, Indeed, professional networks, referrals, and other resources to find people who could realistically fit the position.

The goal is to:

  • Talk with people
  • Understand what they’ve actually done
  • Find out what they’re looking for
  • Determine whether the opportunity makes sense for both sides

Doing so becomes especially important with specialized positions because the right person isn’t always actively applying for jobs. Sometimes you have to find them.

6. Culture and compensation matter

The things candidates care about have changed over the years, but right now I’d put company culture and compensation near the top of the list. There are too many opportunities out there for companies to ignore either one. If someone feels like they aren’t being paid fairly or they’re working in an environment they don’t enjoy, they’re probably going to be more willing to listen when another opportunity comes along.

And today, there are plenty of projects for them to consider. Companies may spend a lot of time thinking about how to attract good people, but retaining the ones they already have is just as important. You can’t wait until somebody gives notice to start thinking about whether they’re happy. Employers need to stay aware of compensation, management, project culture, communication, and whether employees feel valued for their work.

7. A strong hiring process can be a competitive advantage

If there’s one thing I’d want hiring managers to take away from all of this, it’s that good candidates rarely stay available for long. When we send over someone you’re interested in, move quickly. Get the interview on the calendar. Give us feedback. And if the person doesn’t have the exact background you originally pictured, take a closer look at whether their experience could transfer.

Recruiting works best when there is good communication between everyone involved — the recruiter, the candidate, and the hiring manager. Looking ahead, I don’t see a shortage of work across the industries FootBridge supports. Across energy, manufacturing, industrial facilities, data centers, renewables, civil construction, and commercial projects, there are some massive projects underway and more on the way.

That’s probably what excites me most about the next few years. There will be many projects that need talented people to get across the finish line. Our job is to find those people, understand what they’re looking for, and connect them with the companies that need their experience.

After more than 25 years in specialized staffing, that’s still what FootBridge is about. Contact us today to learn more. 

Industrial Staffing: Why Similar Project Experience Matters

Industrial Staffing: Why Similar Project Experience Matters

When it comes to industrial staffing, two candidates can have nearly identical resumes. Both may have ten years of experience and similar technical skills. They may have even held the same title. One, however, has spent years supporting capital projects inside operating manufacturing plants. The other has worked primarily in commercial construction.

An experienced industrial hiring manager sees the difference immediately. At FootBridge, we see it too. After 25+ years of recruiting for industrial and technical projects, we’ve learned to look closely at the experience behind the job title:

  • Where did the candidate do the work?
  • What kind of projects were they supporting?
  • How large were those projects?
  • Were they involved through construction and commissioning?

We also don’t assume relevant experience means identical experience. Requiring someone to come from the same industry can eliminate strong candidates with highly transferable backgrounds. Utility, manufacturing, power, chemicals, and other industrial sectors often share more talent than a keyword search would suggest.

Knowing where experience transfers, and where it doesn’t, is a big part of industrial staffing.

Look at the Environment Behind the Experience

Job titles can be misleading across industrial markets. A project engineer at one company may have a very different role at another. The same applies to project managers, construction managers, schedulers, estimators, and other technical positions.

We want to know what was happening around the candidate. Someone supporting projects inside an operating plant brings a different background than someone who has spent most of their career on greenfield construction. Neither is necessarily better. The question is which experience fits the client’s need.

“Commissioning Experience” Can Mean a Lot of Things

Commissioning is a good example of why we look beyond words on a resume. When we see commissioning experience, we want to understand what the candidate actually did.

  • Were they involved through startup?
  • Did they have responsibility for systems or equipment?
  • Were they managing turnover?
  • How closely were they working with construction and operations?

Simply being assigned to a project during commissioning isn’t necessarily the same as having commissioning responsibility. The distinction becomes important when a client needs someone to step into a project at a specific stage. The same thinking applies to shutdowns and outages. It applies to brownfield work and major capital programs. The candidate’s actual responsibilities tell us whether the experience is relevant.

Safety-Sensitive Experience Shows Up in How Someone Works

Safety experience is another area where the resume doesn’t always tell the whole story. Certifications are easy to identify. Years spent working in safety-sensitive environments require a little more digging. We pay attention to the types of facilities candidates have worked in and their level of responsibility within those environments.

A candidate who has spent years supporting work in chemical plants or power facilities has operated within certain expectations. The same can be true for someone coming from utilities, heavy manufacturing, or oil and gas.

We don’t need to explain those expectations to an industrial hiring manager. They know them well. Our job is to recognize whether the candidate knows them too.

Project Scale Deserves a Closer Look

Years of experience don’t always tell you whether someone is prepared for the scale of a particular project. We see candidates who have spent years managing smaller capital projects. We also see candidates whose careers have centered on major expansions and large industrial programs.

Both can be strong project managers, but their experience may not be interchangeable. On a large capital program, we look for evidence that the candidate has worked within a comparable project structure. We want to understand the level of responsibility they carried within the broader project team.

A candidate may have been assigned to a billion-dollar project while owning a relatively narrow scope. Another may have managed a much smaller project with significant responsibility for cost, schedule, contractors, and execution. Understanding the difference takes a conversation.

Similar Industry Experience Isn’t Always the Answer

Clients sometimes come to us with a very specific industry requirement. In some searches, direct industry experience really is important. In others, insisting on it can unnecessarily restrict the candidate pool.

A utility project manager may have experience that transfers well into another industrial environment. A candidate from the chemicals industry may have the right background for a manufacturing facility. Someone with power generation experience may have worked through many of the same project challenges found elsewhere in heavy industry.

We look for common ground in the work. Project type can matter more than the industry name. Facility environment can matter more than the product being manufactured.

Job titles can create similar limitations. A strong candidate may use a different title or come from a company that structures project teams differently. We focus on what the candidate was actually responsible for and the types of projects they’ve supported because sometimes the experience lines up even when the resume doesn’t look like an obvious match. Recognizing those connections is where specialized industrial recruiting becomes valuable.

More than 25 Years of Industrial Staffing Changes What You Look For

Over time, you learn where to look on a resume and where you need to ask another question. You learn that identical titles don’t guarantee identical experience. You also learn that candidates from different industries can have surprisingly similar backgrounds.

Most importantly, you learn not to confuse a resume match with a project match. Industrial staffing requires judgment. The technical qualifications still need to be there. Experience still needs to be relevant, and clients still need people who can perform the work.

Our role is to understand what relevant means for each project. Sometimes it means finding someone who has spent their career in the same industry. Other times it means recognizing that a candidate from an adjacent market has already been doing very similar work. Knowing the difference is what makes specialized industrial staffing valuable. 

If you’re building an industrial project team or looking for a hard-to-find skill set, we’ll help you identify the experience that matters and find people who have it. Contact us today. 

What Today's Hiring Market Means for Data Center and Industrial Projects with Matt Dalton

What Today’s Hiring Market Means for Data Center and Industrial Projects with Matt Dalton

As demand for data centers, manufacturing facilities, and industrial projects continues to surge, hiring the right people has become one of the biggest challenges facing project teams. We sat down with Matt Dalton, Client Business Manager at FootBridge, to discuss what he’s hearing from clients, where demand is highest for data center and industrial projects, and how companies can stay ahead in today’s competitive talent market.

Q: Matt, what are you hearing from clients right now?

Matt Dalton: Predictability is everything. Whether it’s a data center, manufacturing facility, or another large industrial project, delays are extremely costly. Our clients are under pressure to hit aggressive schedules, and they know one staffing gap can offset the entire project. More than ever, they’re looking for partners who can help eliminate uncertainty and keep projects moving.

Q: What are some of the biggest hiring challenges clients are bringing to you?

Matt Dalton: With so many major data center and industrial projects happening simultaneously across the country, local talent pools are incredibly thin. It’s no longer enough to post a job and hope the right candidate applies.

Many of our clients are looking for stable, vetted travelers—professionals who are willing to relocate, stay for the duration of the project, and have experience working in these demanding environments. They need people who can step in quickly and contribute from day one.

Q: Which roles are seeing the greatest demand across the data center and industrial markets?

Matt Dalton: Oversight and support roles continue to be some of the hardest positions to fill in data center and industrial projects. In the data center market especially, demand for Safety Professionals, Commissioning Specialists, and Superintendents has been unprecedented this year.

These aren’t positions you can leave vacant for long, as they’re critical to maintaining safety, coordinating teams, and keeping projects on schedule.

Q: When clients engage FootBridge, what are they really looking for beyond resumes?

Matt Dalton: They’re looking for risk mitigation and speed.

A resume only tells part of the story. Our clients want to know whether someone has worked on projects of a similar scale, understands the software being used, and can thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment. They’re also looking for cultural fit because these teams need to work together from day one.

At the end of the day, clients are buying peace of mind. They want confidence that the person they’re hiring can get the job done without creating additional risk for the project.

Q: How does FootBridge help clients navigate high-volume or hard-to-fill hiring situations?

Matt Dalton: We don’t just advertise positions and wait for applications. Because we specialize in these industries, we already have relationships with professionals who work in this space.

When clients need to scale quickly, our recruiting teams deploy targeted staff augmentation strategies to identify qualified talent. We essentially become an extension of our client’s project team, handling the recruiting process so they can stay focused on managing the project itself.

That level of specialization allows us to move faster while still maintaining quality.

Q: When evaluating candidates, what qualities matter most today?

Matt Dalton: Technical experience will always matter, but one area that’s become increasingly important is tech-savviness.

Field experience is still critical, but today’s projects are much more technology-driven than they used to be. Superintendents need to be comfortable working in project management systems, updating reports digitally, and using the software their teams rely on every day. If they struggle with those tools, it can affect the pace of the project.

Today’s best candidates combine strong field experience with the ability to work efficiently in a technology-driven environment.

Q: What advice would you give companies preparing to staff major data center and industrial projects in today’s market?

Matt Dalton: Start earlier than you think you need to.

One of the biggest mistakes companies make is waiting until construction is underway to begin hiring key oversight staff. By then, the best people are often already committed elsewhere.

The race for top-tier talent in data center and industrial projects is won during the pre-construction phase. Building a relationship with a specialized staffing partner 60 to 90 days before people are needed on-site gives you a significant advantage.

Securing experienced Superintendents, Safety Officers, and Commissioning teams early goes a long way toward protecting your project schedule—and your bottom line.

Final Thoughts

The hiring landscape for data center and industrial construction isn’t getting easier. As projects grow larger and competition for experienced professionals intensifies, companies need a staffing partner with industry expertise, an established network, and the ability to deliver proven talent quickly. Contact us today to learn more.

Is Live Facility Experience Reshaping Data Center Hiring?

Is Live Facility Experience Reshaping Data Center Hiring?

From the outside, data center experience can look interchangeable. But once you’re regularly in these data center hiring conversations, and especially once hiring managers start probing deeper, a clear distinction emerges between new builds, retrofits, and live facility work.

Within a “live” environment, work is performed within a fully operational infrastructure, where critical systems are already carrying load. Shutdown windows are tightly controlled, often planned down to the minute, and there’s little flexibility once execution begins. Every step must be coordinated in advance, with a strong understanding of interdependencies, risk mitigation, and contingency planning, because even minor missteps can have immediate operational consequences. 

Therefore, a resume might check out at a glance, but once you start asking how the work was done, things change quickly. Were they building from the ground up or working inside a live facility? If you’re working with an inexperienced recruiter, those answers tend to come out later than they should. And when they do, the process resets. Therefore, most of the difference comes down to when those questions get answered.

For us, it happens early. Before a candidate ever gets in front of a hiring manager, we’re already breaking down the details behind their experience. Not just whether they’ve worked on a data center, but what kind of environment they were in, what was active while they were there, whether they’ve worked through shutdowns, and how much ownership they had on site. It’s a more specific conversation, but it saves time in the long run. Once that context is clear, it’s easier to line someone up with the right type of project or move on quickly if it’s not the right fit. 

Another shift that’s been coming up more often in data center hiring is volume. It’s not one data center role here and there anymore. It’s groups. Multiple roles across multiple sites, all moving at the same time. You’ll hear things like, “We need 10 here,” or “We’ve got another eight opening up in a different market,” and it’s all tied to the same push. When that’s the case, alignment matters more.

One mismatch is manageable, but a handful of mismatches starts to affect timelines. Teams aren’t fully staffed when they need to be, and work gets pushed. That’s when data center hiring really becomes part of project execution, not just something happening alongside it.

The Roles Where Experience Gaps Show Up First

Superintendents, safety personnel, commissioning personnel, project managers, and electrical and mechanical leads are the people making real-time decisions, often in active environments. When someone hasn’t worked in that kind of setting before, there’s usually a ramp-up. And on most of these projects, there isn’t much room to train someone. Once this becomes clear, the data center hiring process starts to feel different. There’s:

  • Fewer yet better-aligned candidates
  • Less back-and-forth
  • Faster decisions
  • And a lot less time spent figuring out fit afterward

At FootBridge, our focus is on getting to that level of clarity before candidates ever reach a hiring manager. Once that part is right, everything else tends to move a lot faster. That gap between new build and live experience is where most hiring delays happen, and it’s usually decided within the first few conversations. Need a data center candidate for live work? Contact us today.

Want to Get a Recruiter’s Attention? Update Your LinkedIn Profile with These 7 Smart Moves

Want to Get a Recruiter’s Attention? Update Your LinkedIn Profile with These 7 Smart Moves

If it’s been a while since you updated your LinkedIn profile, now’s the time. Whether you’re actively looking for your next project or just open to hearing about new opportunities, your profile is often the first thing a recruiter sees. At FootBridge, we work with hiring managers in the energy, construction, manufacturing, and industrial sectors every day, and we review thousands of profiles in the process. The ones that stand out aren’t always the most experienced. They’re the ones that clearly tell us who the person is, what they do, and what kind of roles they’re ready for.

Tip #1

Let’s start with the headline. Most people default to their current job title, so we see “Project Manager” or “Electrical Engineer” a lot, which is fine, but not very informative. You’ve got 220 characters, so why not use them? Something like “Construction PM | Substation Projects | Open to Nationwide Travel” gives us a much clearer idea of your background and flexibility. So, consider which keywords a recruiter would use to find someone like you, and include those right up top.

Tip #2 

Next up is the “About” section, which is where you can add context to your experience. Just adding a few short paragraphs that cover what industries you’ve worked in, project types you’ve supported, and what you’re looking for next is prudent here. If you have any certifications, leadership roles, or standout achievements, this is a good place to mention them. You don’t need to sell yourself, just be clear, confident, and specific.

Tip #3

We’re seeing more and more people using AI to help write or revise their LinkedIn profiles, and honestly, it can be a helpful tool as long as you don’t let it do all the talking. Instead, we recommend using AI tools to help you brainstorm or organize your thoughts, but make sure the final version still sounds like you. Profiles that read too stiff or too generic tend to blend together. A little bit of personality goes a long way, especially in a competitive market.

Tip #4 

When you list out your past experience, don’t stop at job titles. Add a few bullet points or a quick summary of what you actually did for any given project. For folks in technical roles, like engineers, safety leads, field supers, or schedulers, that means mentioning project types such as turnarounds, substations, capital builds, or renewables. If you’ve got certifications like OSHA 30, PMP, or PE, make sure they’re listed under Licenses & Certifications so they show up in recruiter searches.

Tip #5 

The Skills section of your LinkedIn profile is another easy win since you can list up to 50 skills, which absolutely helps you show up in more searches. Therefore, if you’re a mechanical engineer with experience in heat exchangers and piping design, include that. If you’re an I&C tech familiar with PLCs, DCS, and loop tuning, put them in. And check that your top three pinned skills reflect your strongest areas of expertise.

Tip #6 

Another underrated part of LinkedIn is the “featured section,” which lets you upload or link to content like a resume, project summary, safety award, or a short video. It’s a great way to add depth to your profile and make your experience more tangible. Even adding one PDF or image can make a strong impression, especially when hiring managers want to see evidence of real-world impact.

Tip #7

Finally, if you’re open to work, make that clear. You can turn on the “Open to Work” setting and choose whether it’s visible to everyone or just recruiters. You can also include a short line in your About section that mentions what kind of roles you’re looking for or where you’re willing to travel. And don’t forget to include your email in the Contact Info section, it’s a small thing that makes a big difference.

Wrapping It Up

Your LinkedIn profile is often your first handshake with a recruiter or hiring manager. A few thoughtful updates can boost your visibility, help you stand out, and open the door to roles that fit your background and goals.

At FootBridge, we help professionals like you connect with top companies in energy, construction, and beyond. Whether you’re looking now or just want to be ready when the right opportunity comes up, having a strong LinkedIn profile is a smart move.

Need help with your next step? Reach out to us, we’re here to help.

Oil & Gas Staffing in 2026 5 Critical Skills Gaps and How Specialized Recruiters Can Close Them

Oil & Gas Staffing in 2026: 5 Critical Skills Gaps and How Specialized Recruiters Can Close Them

Looking ahead to 2026, oil & gas companies are navigating an evolving talent landscape shaped by digital transformation, ESG priorities, and an aging workforce. From automation and compliance to experienced plant operations, certain roles are growing in demand, and partnering with a strategic staffing partner can make all the difference in hiring. 

In the sections below, we share the five key skills gaps we’re seeing across the industry and how working with FootBridge can help you tackle them with confidence.

1. Digital Automation & Controls Technicians

As oil and gas operations evolve through digitalization, the demand for technicians skilled in automation, PLCs, and control systems is soaring. Refineries and chemical plants now require talent who not only understand mechanical systems but can also manage digital interfaces and remote diagnostics.

Unfortunately, many generalist staffing firms cannot source candidates with this exact skill set. FootBridge, on the other hand, maintains deep candidate pipelines filled with professionals who’ve worked in control rooms, understand SCADA, and can hit the ground running on day one.

2. ESG, Safety & Compliance Specialists

With ESG pressures and regulatory frameworks tightening across the energy sector, the need for compliance experts has never been greater. Companies must navigate complex safety, environmental, and reporting requirements, and finding staff with the right mix of field experience and regulatory acumen is no small task.

FootBridge helps clients stay ahead by delivering contractors and direct-hire candidates who already meet OSHA, API, and company-specific standards. We speak the language of safety audits, site shutdowns, and permit-to-work systems, and we know where to find professionals who can lead those efforts.

3. Experienced Plant Operations & Maintenance Professionals

One of the industry’s most significant challenges is the aging workforce. Veteran plant operators, millwrights, and mechanical techs are retiring in record numbers, leaving critical gaps in hands-on knowledge and field-tested judgment.

Turnarounds, outages, and maintenance events often require short-notice deployment of skilled professionals. FootBridge specializes in building reliable, on-demand contractor benches, providing plant-ready personnel with the exact experience you need—whether for upstream, midstream, or downstream roles.

4. Contract Manpower for Turnarounds

Turnaround events remain some of the most resource-intensive undertakings in oil and gas. A single refinery outage can involve hundreds of temporary staff, including welders and pipefitters, as well as planners and quality control personnel.

Without a partner who understands the timing, certification, and workforce planning needed to execute these complex projects, companies risk delays, cost overruns, and safety incidents. That’s where FootBridge’s extensive experience in industrial facilities and energy staffing comes in. We supply a certified workforce quickly and safely, with a proven ability to ramp up rapidly.

5. Hybrid Talent (Oil & Gas + Renewables Experience)

There’s increasing value in hiring talent who understand both traditional oil & gas operations and emerging renewable technologies. Roles that blend fossil and green energy expertise are rising, particularly in project engineering, grid interconnects, and environmental compliance.

We’re already working with candidates positioned to thrive in this transition, and future-proofing teams by sourcing versatile professionals who can move fluidly between legacy and next-generation projects.

Why Specialized Staffing Firms Outperform Generalists

Meeting your staffing goals or missing them often comes down to who’s doing the hiring. Specialized firms like FootBridge know how to assess candidates based on real-world performance in high-risk, high-demand industrial settings.

Where generalist agencies may take weeks to understand your needs, we already speak your language. We know the importance of site-specific onboarding, badge requirements, and crew chemistry. And we have decades of relationships with field-proven professionals across every central oil and gas region in the U.S.

Whether you’re planning a turnaround, expanding a refinery, or staffing an ESG team, our industry focus and proven staffing solutions give you the competitive edge. Contact FootBridge today to discuss how we can support your workforce needs and ensure your projects succeed.

Workforce Strategy Tips for Oil & Gas Employers

To stay ahead in the industry, companies should begin building their 2026 staffing strategies now. Taking early action on these steps will position you for success and reduce last-minute challenges.

  • Forecast for known events: Start planning for turnarounds or expansions early.
  • Audit current talent gaps: Identify retirements or upskilling needs now.
  • Engage your staffing partner early: Avoid last-minute scrambling and rushed placements.
  • Invest in knowledge transfer: Retain institutional memory by pairing veteran workers with new hires.
  • Consider contract + direct-hire blending: Flexible staffing models give you agility in uncertain markets.

If you’re a candidate in the oil & gas industry, companies are looking for:

  • Hands-on automation skills (SCADA, PLCs, control systems)
  • Certifications like NCCER, TWIC, OSHA 30, API 510/570
  • Flexibility to work on projects, outages, or remote sites
  • A mindset focused on safety, adaptability, and continuous learning.

FootBridge can connect you with top employers across the country looking for talent just like yours. Browse current opportunities or talk to one of our recruiters today.

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