The UK recruitment industry can play a crucial role in meeting the skills needed to manage major infrastructure projects such as the multi-billion pound nuclear energy contracts.

Speaking at the Confederation of British Industry’s annual conference, David Powell, UK regional vice president of US engineering firm Westinghouse Electric, which is tendering a bid to design and build new nuclear power stations in the UK, warned that our economy could lose out if steps were not taken to attract the right staff.

“We are in global competition for resources. If we don’t put the processes in place to attract the right staff, we won’t get the talent we need.”

Westinghouse set up a UK subsidiary, Westinghouse Electric Company UK, on 1 December to manage nuclear energy projects, which it predicts will help boost UK plc by £30bn over the next 60 years.

Speaking to Recruiter after the conference, Powell said recruitment agencies would play an important part in the company’s ability to identify and source talent from around the world.

James Beazley, director of energy sector recruiter Six Recruitment, which supplies staff to UK-based nuclear projects, told Recruiter agencies have been “fundamental” in addressing the “tremendous shortages” which exist in the sector.

“Staffing agencies are ideally suited [to the sector] because a lot of the work is project based and a large number of employees are working on a contract basis.

“The shortages are particularly severe for project engineers and managers.”

Beazley added that a strong demand in Germany and France had meant energy companies in the EU could poach British staff.

Mike Graham, national secretary of Prospect, a trade union representing engineers and scientists, told Recruiter: “There is a lot of headhunting taking place at the moment, but it tends to be on a more piecemeal basis. It could be more co-ordinated and I think that is where the employment agencies could provide a service.”

At the conference Sir John Rose, chief executive of aerospace, automotive and defence engineering firm Rolls-Royce, implored the government to use large infrastructure projects such as Crossrail to attract and grow talent to end long-term staffing shortages.

Paul Turner, director of global construction recruiter Turner Lovell, which supplies staff to infrastructure projects including Crossrail, Thames Link and the East London Line, said the government’s failure to pay competitive rates in civil projects has made it difficult to attract staff with the technical skills which were necessary.