Every week I speak to electrical engineers, package managers, commissioning teams, and project directors across Europe — and I’m hearing the same thing from all sides:

Workload is increasing. Skilled people aren’t.

There’s a huge disconnect right now between the pace of data centre expansion and the size of the available talent pool.

• On one side: AI, hyperscale, cloud demand, government incentives.
• On the other: clients and contractors scrambling for experienced staff, often too late.

We’re in a delivery bottleneck

The industry’s ability to win work has outpaced its ability to deliver it.

• Commissioning engineers with data centre experience are being snapped up before they even hit the market.
• Electrical Package Managers who’ve delivered hyperscale jobs are turning down offers weekly.
• Design teams — especially those with LV and MV experience — are overstretched and under-resourced.

I’m now seeing companies bid on jobs with no delivery team in place, because they know the right people will be hard to find later.

Traditional hiring methods aren’t cutting it anymore

 Waiting for applicants doesn’t work. Relying on the same internal pool doesn’t work.

Good engineers are being approached constantly. If you don’t have someone actively headhunting on your behalf, and if your process takes longer than a week to move, you’re likely missing out.

This isn’t just about recruitment speed. It’s about giving candidates a clear picture:

• What’s the actual scope?
• What will I be responsible for?
• Who will I be reporting to?
• What’s the salary and uplift?

The projects may be technical, but the hiring process doesn’t have to be complicated.

Contractors who adapt are finding success

Some of my clients are doing things differently -  and it’s paying off. Here’s what’s working:

✅ Widening the net. They’re open to people from substations, gigafactories, and other mission-critical environments - not just data centres. The skills are often more transferable than you'd think.

✅ Planning ahead. Instead of scrambling when a project goes live, they’re having early conversations with candidates. I’m helping them build shortlists in advance - so they’re ready to go.

✅ Using real salary data. A lot of briefs are still coming in below market. I share salary benchmarks based on actual offers and placements - so hiring managers don’t lose out by being 5-10k off.

Where I come in

 If you’re trying to hire electrical talent — whether it’s for design, delivery, or commissioning — this is where I can help.

I work with contractors across Ireland and Europe, from tier 1 players to specialist subs, and I’ve got a mapped network of engineers who are actively looking, open to the right offer, or ready to step up.

Whether you’ve got a live need or you’re just planning ahead, I’m always happy to give you a steer on:

• What the market’s doing
• What the salary picture looks like
• Who’s available in your region

Drop me a message if you'd like to have a quick chat or benchmark your current needs  - no pressure, just straight insight.

#DataCentres #Gigafactories #ElectricalEngineering #CommercialHiring #BMS #BIM #Commissioning #wearecoretalent #MissionCritical