Hiring and developing top industry talent is a key focus for Bechtel

As new challenges and opportunities shape the world’s future, Bechtel is committed to attracting and retaining the best industry talent. Gastech News spoke exclusively with Marla L. Wright, global manager of Business Development for Bechtel Energy, about the need for a diverse, skilled, and multinational workforce to engineer and construct the next generation of energy projects.

Reimagining the Post-COVID Employee Experience

Post-COVID, we understand that we are all on this journey together, an idea at the core of how Bechtel is approaching how we attract and retain talent.

We promote and foster talent, diversity, equity, and inclusion for all. This starts with diversifying our candidate pool. We are expanding where we recruit and how we recruit to meet people where they are while offering competitive compensation and a culture that is welcoming and supportive. We want all employees to feel valued and understand that they can build a career with us, which means creating and maintaining a culture where they can succeed from day one with opportunities to connect with peers, mentors, and leaders.

We are also creating a more flexible office environment, including hybrid work options, flexible core hours, and new workspace layouts. Our Houston and London offices are undergoing significant changes—not just in location but in overall layouts and amenities, including flexible work areas, diverse lunch options, technology integrations, and areas that promote fitness, health, wellness, and multi-faith practices.

We want to ensure our colleagues have working environments that mesh with their lives and help them be their best. With this goal in mind, our improvements focus on making our spaces brighter, greener, and more convenient.

Delivering Unique Projects with Diverse Experience

As an international company, diverse thinking is critical to our success. Our ability to integrate different perspectives and skills allows us to deliver better solutions for our customers. Nearly every project we undertake is executed by a worldwide network of specialists with cross-industrial expertise. The result is a stronger project foundation tailored to the location and individual challenges of the project.

Working on the US Gulf Coast is different than in Tanzania, Indonesia, or Australia, so understanding the international landscape and bringing experienced professionals together with local perspectives and experience is critical.

At Bechtel, we pride ourselves on being project minded. Our leadership team has decades of project experience and is invested in our projects’ success. From our senior vice presidents to our principal vice presidents to our middle management, our leaders know what it takes to deliver a job on time, on schedule, with safety and quality at the forefront.

Investing in our people

In the U.S. and Australia, where we have major operations, unemployment rates sit around 3.5%, with professional shortages including engineers, pipefitters, electricians, and welders. The battle for talent is everywhere, and competition is fierce.

Everyone is looking for talented people who will not just fit but also promote their culture. Candidates, especially recent college graduates, are quick to ask questions about corporate culture, and every business needs to be prepared. Professionals are raising their expectations, and it is up to us to define and meet them to remain competitive and continue attracting the talent we need.

Bechtel’s Re-Entry in STEM Employment program—or R.I.S.E.—is an initiative that demonstrates Bechtel’s commitment to fostering inclusivity, diversity, and providing opportunities for growth to individuals who want to return to the industry after having temporarily stepped away for various reasons. By providing them with the necessary resources, support, and opportunities for growth, the R.I.S.E. programme not only benefits the returners, but also brings fresh perspectives and renewed energy to Bechtel.

Bechtel is also making new investments in training, developing, and upskilling to retain our professionals and support their growth; and we offer our employees opportunities to enhance their skills and learn new trades. We’re actively working to integrate with the communities in which we live and work, offering apprenticeships and hands-on training in schools and local colleges. If individuals who benefit from the training decide to take their talents elsewhere, that’s ok. We’re committed to bringing diverse skills to the communities where we live and work.