By Eamonn Ryan
Finding talented people has become one of the HVAC&R industry’s greatest challenges. Yet before organisations can solve their recruitment problems, they may need to ask a more fundamental question: are they still trying to recruit tomorrow’s workforce using yesterday’s methods?
Problematic is the common expectation that entry-level positions should require significant prior experience.
Pressfoto | Magnific.com
For decades, the industry has relied on traditional recruitment channels – industry networks, word-of-mouth referrals and conventional job advertisements – to attract new talent. While these approaches continue to have value, they may no longer be sufficient to engage younger generations entering the workforce. Today’s potential employees consume information differently, evaluate employers differently and have different expectations of what a career should offer.
These issues were explored during Episode 61 of the ASHRAE Journal Podcast featuring Paige Knowles, HVAC professional, industry advocate and founder of the All Trades Paige platform, and Max Rohr, director of education at Caleffi North America. Their discussion highlighted the importance of modernising recruitment strategies to reflect both changing technologies and changing workforce expectations.
According to Rohr, employers seeking talented young people may need to go where those candidates are already spending their time. Increasingly, that means embracing digital platforms and social media channels that the HVAC&R industry has not traditionally viewed as recruitment tools.
Knowles takes the argument even further, suggesting that organisations should be prepared to experiment with unconventional approaches – even advertising opportunities through platforms such as Snapchat if that is where their target audience is most engaged. Rohr points out that many major consumer brands have already embraced this strategy, actively recruiting through digital channels that younger generations use every day.
For HVAC&R employers, the lesson is relatively straightforward. Recruitment strategies should align with the habits and behaviours of potential candidates rather than the industry’s historical preferences.
This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for South Africa’s HVAC&R sector. Many companies have built their reputations through decades of technical excellence and long-standing professional networks. However, younger candidates entering the workforce may know very little about the organisations themselves or the career opportunities they offer. A well-established company that remains virtually invisible online may struggle to compete for talent against organisations that actively communicate their purpose, culture and development opportunities.
Today’s applicants are also increasingly interested in more than simply securing employment. They want to understand who they will work for, what they will learn and how they will grow professionally. An organisation’s culture can therefore become as important as the position itself.
Transparency has become another important consideration. Knowles highlights salary disclosure as one of the issues that younger candidates increasingly pay attention to when evaluating opportunities. Job advertisements that fail to communicate basic information about remuneration, development pathways or organisational culture may inadvertently discourage highly capable applicants from applying.
Equally problematic is the common expectation that entry-level positions should require significant prior experience. For many young candidates, this creates an obvious contradiction – how does one gain experience when opportunities to acquire it are limited?
Knowles challenges employers to reconsider whether they are recruiting for experience or potential. Rather than focusing exclusively on technical competencies, organisations should communicate the training opportunities available to successful candidates. Younger professionals are often highly motivated to learn if employers demonstrate a willingness to invest in their development.
Rohr similarly believes that organisations should actively promote their culture of learning and development. Career progression, mentorship opportunities and meaningful work increasingly influence employment decisions. Many applicants want to know not only what they will contribute to an organisation but also what that organisation will contribute to their personal and professional growth.
This is particularly relevant within HVAC&R. The industry’s rapid technological evolution means that continuous learning has become essential. Professionals entering the sector today may eventually work with intelligent building systems, natural refrigerants, digital twins, predictive maintenance technologies or advanced thermal management solutions that barely existed when many experienced practitioners began their careers. Employers that can effectively communicate these opportunities may find themselves particularly attractive to ambitious young professionals.
There is also growing evidence that younger generations want to work for organisations whose values align with their own. They are looking for purpose, belonging and opportunities to make meaningful contributions. HVAC&R is uniquely positioned to provide all three. From improving energy efficiency to supporting food security through refrigeration and enabling increasingly sophisticated healthcare environments, the industry’s contribution extends well beyond mechanical systems.
Recruitment, therefore, is no longer simply about filling vacancies. It is about telling the industry’s story in ways that resonate with future generations.
The organisations that succeed will not necessarily be those offering the highest salaries or the most prestigious projects. Increasingly, they may be those that communicate most effectively why talented people should choose to build their careers there.
Coming next: Part Three explores why hiring for potential may be more valuable than hiring solely for technical expertise – and why strong workplace cultures are becoming essential ingredients of successful HVAC&R organisations.
