Staff retention is crucial for businesses. Employers should provide a great work environment including competitive salary and benefits, professional development opportunities, and recognition. When recruiting, employers should look for technically strong candidates with project delivery skills, good client relationships, communication abilities, and cultural fit. Engineers are advised to pursue structured training, join career-oriented companies, continually raise their profile, gain diverse experiences, and make themselves indispensable to clients.

1. Advice to Building Services Engineers
A Business is only as good as its staff “Clients give
work to people at good businesses, not good
businesses with people”
■ Finding and retaining quality staff is crucial
■ A good employer should provide the best
environment possible to their staff
 Salary, Benefits
 Great offices, facilities, tools
 Commitment and support with
professional development, Training and up
skilling
 Promotion when appropriate.
 Opportunity to work on challenging and
iconic projects
 Where you are recognised and thanked!

2. Advice to Building Services Engineers
What do I look for when recruiting
■ Technically sound – qualifications backed up by
structured training scheme. Evidence of technical
input to projects.
■ Appreciation of good project delivery
■ Client relationship and client development skills
■ Attitude, Motivation & Passion
■ Communication skills – verbally confident.
■ Previous employer profile
■ Cultural fit – similar values
■ Evidence of achievement
■ In the Future – An Influencer? – the ‘go-to’
engineer for clients?

3. Advice to Building Services Engineers
My advice
■ Join a structured training scheme to attain CEng – it is important.
■ Look to the IMechE and IET as well as CIBSE.
■ Join a company that offers career advancement – PDR’s, Training (Technical and
Personal Effectiveness skills), Graduate groups/rotation, Talent Acceleration
Opportunities, a flexible open culture.
■ Use your companies Appraisal system and agree challenging objectives and targets
■ Ensure you continually raise your profile

4. Advice to Building Services Engineers
My advice
■ Ensure you have a clear job description and you
have access to the job description of the next
grad for promotion.
■ Whilst you have limited ties – seek secondments
to new offices/countries and get new
experiences
■ Be prepared to relocate to advance your career
■ Be prepared for your career to plateau for short
periods – but realise that you are gaining
experience all the time.
■ Don’t limit yourself be chasing fast money – it
will come.
■ Make a name for yourself – continually raise your
profile