Water sector jobs tap into exciting and impactful career opportunities

Careers in the water sector can be hugely fulfilling, and, as RSK continues to expand globally, there are more opportunities than ever before. Overseeing operations is Water Sector Director Mark Smith. He believes that media coverage of challenges in the UK water sector is impacting recruitment.

He said: “People don’t see the sector as a place to display their talents, but once you’ve looked beyond the front pages, the most obvious place to make a difference in this world is in water. Our work sees us provide people with clean drinking water, protect people against floods, clean polluted rivers, revegetate the landscape and more. There’s so much to get involved in and to contribute to, but we need to get better at talking about the sector positively.”

Mark identified two particular challenges concerning recruitment. The first is the difficulty in attracting mid-level engineers, who have five to fifteen years of experience. He explained that, as a result, the market is being boiled and this is contributing to a knowledge and skills gap.

Retaining people is the second difficulty. Mark believes this can be solved by providing flexibility and facilitating career aspirations. He said: “Having joined WRc (an RSK Group Company) as a graduate, I left as CEO. I know first-hand that no matter what stage you’re at, there is a real opportunity to have an interesting, fulfilling and long-lasting career in water, whether that be blue or white collar work.

“One thing that sets RSK apart is how accessible people in senior positions are. Colleagues can learn from a wealth of knowledge and experience, which can be invaluable. Harnessing the enthusiasm and ideas of people entering the sector is vital and something that’s starting to be understood.”

Tasked with presenting RSK – a group of businesses with integrated skills and experience to deliver solutions to the water sector’s greatest challenges – globally, Mark is focused on packaging its unique offering to clients. He believes that a real opportunity to support RSK’s innovation agenda lies in embracing AI, deploying new techniques and building on the excellent work businesses across the group are delivering.

Another important element of Mark’s role is representing RSK at international conferences and meetings. He said: “We need to continue to talk about our integrated group offer internationally. Our presence and the work we generate at events such as Singapore International Water Week are testament to the team’s hard work.”

Sustainability, long an RSK priority, is also at the forefront of the water sector, having evolved from being an area of interest to a central focus in recent years.

Mark said: “The evolution of the water sector has created significant opportunities to make a meaningful contribution to our wider environment. All projects in the water sector now have to legally demonstrate at least a 10% increase in biodiversity; three years ago, very few people would have even known what that was.

“The sustainability strategy at RSK is incredibly interesting and informed by science-based targets, which businesses will either outpace or align with. We’re at the beginning of the journey, but the desire is there, and things are moving in the right direction.”

RSK’s water sector has worldwide coverage, with businesses operating in countries across the UK, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America and sharing best practices and innovations.

Mark added: “With the challenges for the water sector globally remaining top of the agenda for most countries, the opportunity to have a rewarding career that will truly contribute to the wellbeing of people and the planet is an exciting one. It’s something RSK colleagues are committed to and look forward to sharing with those who wish to join us in our focus on driving innovation and identifying life-changing solutions.”