Talent Blue will assess potentially diversifying into other market segments over the next few years, particularly verticals within the mining sector, with the firm holding a rosy outlook for the market.
State Account Manager for Victoria Andrew Grant tells Mining.com.au Talent Blue is equipped with a toolkit of industry knowledge, “masterfully navigating the complexities of the blue collar industry”.
In terms of the near-term growth strategy for the talent acquisition firm, “I don’t think anything’s off the table”, Grant explains.
“Our services will probably be into more niche verticals, so more niche recruiting within mining, within construction, within perhaps renewables as well.
“Very topical here in Victoria, in New South Wales, Queensland. Definitely having conversations with clients and having a look at what that need will be in the next 12 months, two years, three years.
“Do we have the capability? Do we have the expertise in our resources? And that will go back to your previous question, what resources will we be bringing into the business. And that will be experts, recruitment, talent acquisition people in those niche places.”
Talent Blue offers end-to-end labour solutions for the ‘blue collar’ industry. The nationally focused company serves the mining, energy, and resource sectors, meeting HR requirements and integrating into client operations.
It specialises in staffing solutions for mining operations of all sizes across regional, remote, and Asia-Pacific locations. The firm utilises deep industry insights from its own workforce, paired with a personalised approach it seeks to integrate with a client’s labour strategy.
At present, Talent Blue has about eight full-time employees based in Victoria and recently hired a State Manager for Western Australia with scope to grow its internal workforce over the next six to 12 months.
Jenny Smith was brought on board to the “new kid on the block” talent acquisition firm in July as WA State Manager – tapping into her extensive managerial experience in the industry within her base in the country’s resources-rich mining state Western Australia.
Smith tells Mining.com.au over the years some sectors —such as mining — have endured a skills labour shortage, as an older workforce has meant industry knowledge is exiting the industry faster than it’s being replaced. This is a major focus for Talent Blue to remedy.
“There‘s been a huge issue in regards to companies dealing with a lot of people with little to no experience, and then there’s those who are getting to retirement age, so they’re having the new lot come through without any experience,” she explains.
“All the while, there’s no one wanting to train them up, so all of a sudden you have this whole workforce that’s retiring and no one able to do those jobs.”
The WA State Manager notes that as such, more companies need to invest in training new market entrants and implementing incentives to retain them in the industry; something that’s only now starting to happen.
Recruitment and relationships
Agreeing with Smith, Grant adds that Talent Blue is helping the situation by being industry and client-based, with a focus of tailoring solutions to a client’s specific needs.
“Our point of difference is we consider ourselves an expert in our field – we’re not a generalist recruitment company. Our point of difference is – it’s our relationship and our service levels and our processes, which is a little bit different to competitors,” he says.
“I’ve worked for probably five or six recruitment agencies in the last 15 years, and we all talk about our point of difference, and it really just probably goes back to we all have different business cards.
“But I can honestly say, Talent Blue’s point of difference is very noticeable, hence why we’re working with a lot of big clients now and getting that opportunity to work with them because we’re doing it very well.”
Smith adds that her experience in the recruitment sector and intimate knowledge of the industries Talent Blue focuses on places the firm in a strong position for any forthcoming growth.
Australia’s resources sector has required about 21,000 new onsite operational employees this year in order to meet the growing demand for mining projects, particularly for strategic and critical minerals.
The Department of Industry Science and Resources has found that almost 60 projects worth some $41 billion have needed 20,767 on-site operating employees.
In addition to mining, Talent Blue operates across all phases of maintenance and shutdowns, supporting preventive and scheduled maintenance projects, new commissions, and shutdowns from start to finish.
However, manufacturing and warehousing is at the core of the firm’s service offering, as well as offering accredited personnel for large-scale construction projects such as multi-storey buildings, educational facilities, hospitals, airports, and warehouses nationwide in Australia.
Talent Blue is also a provider of skilled trades labour for significant civil and rail infrastructure projects throughout Australia.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Talent Blue & Supplied
