Bayside Personnel Manager Sean Blanche, a specialist engineering recruiter, believes the industry’s strong growth following the global financial crisis is testament to its resilience. Professionals in the pipeline industry will be involved in a dynamic, evolving industry in the coming years. According to Mr Blanche, pipeline professionals in Australia will have the opportunity to work with new technology and develop rewarding careers.

“Queensland’s upcoming projects will hopefully attract expat pipeline engineers working in the United States of America and the United Kingdom home to Australia to complement the skill sets of local talent,” says Mr Blanche.

Bayside Chief Executive Officer Pam Dew agrees that this is the ideal option. “Demand for international talent is increasing rapidly as employers require specialist skill sets that are becoming scarce in Australia,” says Ms Dew.

By contracting overseas technical professionals through Bayside Personnel, employers can gain access to ‘hard-to-find' skills for specific projects.

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Ms Dew, who has over 20 years of experience as a recruiter, trainer and manager, explains that Bayside Personnel’s ability to attract expats and sponsor select overseas professionals on 457 visas not only meets the flexible skill demands required for projects, but provides employers with the opportunity to mentor and up-skill Australian employees through ‘on-the-job’ training.

With baby boomers reaching retirement age at a time where skill shortages are increasing, it is critical that their knowledge is effectively passed on. Although internal training and development is talked about regularly, mentoring programs can potentially cause short-term inefficiencies by taking people away from their core responsibilities or having two people doing one job for a period of time. As a result, many mentoring programs are perhaps not as comprehensive as they could be.

“It is essential that young pipeline engineers are provided with the opportunity for accelerated learning in order to meet future requirements,” says Mr Blanche.

If more employers increase their commitment to minimising skill gaps, the pipeline industry will have additional talent with relevant experience to ensure sustainability.

Mr Blanche explains that this scenario has to work both ways – accelerated learning can only be successful where all parties are committed to achieving commongoals. If approached correctly, accelerated development programs will have significant benefits for young professionals and their employers.

“Pipeline professionals also need to take responsibility for their own development in order to secure lucrative opportunities,” says Mr Blanche, whose recruitment expertise in the pipeline industry has enabled him to assist many professionals.

Mr Blanche explains that not all employers have the capacity or capability to develop every team member, so it is important for those in the industry to actively take control of their own career.

Bayside Personnel assists businesses in attracting and retaining pipeline professionals across Australia and the Middle East. With an engineering and technical focus, Bayside Personnel recruit construction professionals, pipeline engineers, consultants, project managers and government regulation staff to the pipeline industry.