Multilingualism & Talent Acquisition in the Solar Industry

💭 Thought of the Day: I wish I was multilingual...

For many of the open positions I am currently hiring across Europe, my clients have increasingly requested proficiency in not just the relative language in which the role is situated, but additional fluency in other languages of market interest.

❔ What does this mean for candidates in the market?

❔ What are the implications of this on a company's talent acquisition strategy?

Let's firstly look at why multilingualism is so important in the Solar Industry:

Global Market Presence: The solar PV industry is a global market with diverse stakeholders, including manufacturers, suppliers, project developers, investors, and customers spread across various countries. Proficiency in different languages enables effective communication and collaboration with international partners, helping to establish connections, negotiate contracts, and facilitate business transactions.

Access to Information: Solar PV technology is constantly evolving, with new developments, research, and best practices emerging worldwide. Being able to understand and communicate in multiple languages allows professionals in the industry to access a broader range of information sources, including research papers, technical documentation, industry reports, and conferences conducted in different languages. This facilitates staying updated with the latest advancements and implementing cutting-edge technologies.

International Project Development: Solar PV projects are often implemented on a global scale, especially in regions with favourable solar resources or government incentives. Proficiency in different languages helps when working with international project stakeholders, such as local governments, contractors, engineers, and communities. It allows for effective communication, coordination, and understanding of local regulations, cultural nuances, and project requirements, thereby facilitating successful project development and execution.

Market Expansion and Business Development: The solar PV industry is witnessing significant growth and market expansion in various regions worldwide. Being able to communicate in the native language of target markets provides a competitive advantage when exploring new business opportunities, engaging with potential customers, and understanding local market dynamics. It enables effective marketing, sales, and customer support efforts, leading to business growth and market penetration.

Multicultural Workforce: The solar PV industry attracts professionals from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and regions. Working in a multicultural environment necessitates effective communication and understanding among team members. Proficiency in different languages fosters better collaboration, enhances teamwork, and promotes a positive work environment by enabling clear communication, empathy, and inclusivity.

Support and Customer Service: Solar PV systems require maintenance, troubleshooting, and customer support throughout their lifespan. Having language skills in the local or regional language of customers or clients enhances the ability to deliver efficient support and customer service. It facilitates effective communication, comprehension of customer concerns, and the provision of appropriate solutions, ultimately leading to customer satisfaction and loyalty.

What does this mean for candidates in the market?

Fundamentally being a multilingual candidate, in which the languages you possess are in relation to the company's markets of interest, makes you a more desirable professional to hire. Being multilingual in the solar market brings benefits such as improved communication, market expansion opportunities, a competitive edge, access to diverse information, networking advantages, cross-cultural understanding, and enhanced customer service. These advantages contribute to accelerated professional growth opportunities. Commitment to learning an additional language can promote immediate skills set offering and chance of career advancement. For candidates who already have a few languages in their repertoire, they will find potentially more headhunt approaches.

What does this mean for companies hiring in the sector?

As many businesses in the industry consolidate and venture into new markets across EMEA, the competition for multilingual solar professionals will become increasingly intense: whilst some companies are able to secure people in this tighter talent pool of candidates, other businesses will need to remain agile and flexible. Hiring managers of companies will experience more complex recruitment processes: candidates many have multiple offers; package offerings will need to match competitiveness of other businesses; the realities of hiring the "perfect" multilingual person fitting their markets of interest will be challenging. Due to the shortage of candidates actively open to new work who are multilingual, companies may support further development of prospective candidates by offering internal language courses- this is an attractive benefit to entice talent.