If you asked anyone in the team to sum up 2025 in just a few words, they’d probably all say something slightly different - but the common theme would be that it’s been a big year. Not loud or dramatic, just steady, important progress that’s set the business up for an even stronger future.

A lot has changed, but the core of who we are hasn’t. And that’s probably the best sign of growth: moving forward without losing the things that work.

A Year of Big Shifts and Even Bigger Workloads

The most defining moment of the year was, without question, the acquisition of People with Energy by AVA Energy Limited. It was a major step, but it never felt like a departure from our roots. If anything, it’s given us more space to operate, more tools to work with, and a wider platform to deliver the sort of service we’ve always aimed for.

There were also some standout projects that reminded us why we do what we do. The Sofia offshore wind farm substation project is the obvious one - supplying over a hundred workers and coordinating the logistics for the offshore campaign. Anyone who’s worked on large offshore projects knows the sheer amount of coordination behind the scenes, and this one really highlighted the strength and stamina of the people handling it day-to-day.

Another quiet but very meaningful achievement: securing a place on the PSL of a national construction company, opening the door for permanent and contract recruitment within the water treatment sector across the UK. It’s not a flashy headline, but it’s the kind of long-term opportunity that can reshape a business’s trajectory.

On the permanent recruitment side, the team’s work within the nuclear sector has arguably been the strongest we’ve ever delivered. Not only did we win a major contract - we exceeded expectations across the board.

Where the Market Moved This Year

It was one of those years where demand didn’t spike in just one place. The shifts were fairly consistent across several sectors. Renewables continued to grow, as expected, but so did water treatment and nuclear. And even with all the noise around the energy transition, oil and gas remained solid both in the UK and internationally.

Our long history in the energy sector - starting in oil & gas and growing into renewables and nuclear - has been a real advantage here. The market is moving, but not in a way that makes any part of our experience irrelevant. If anything, it became even more valuable this year.

Internal Wins That Deserve a Mention

It’s hard to talk about 2025 without acknowledging the people behind it.

Several members of the team - Emily Warner, Maryna Nowakowska- Cockerill and Matt Rayner - completed their recruitment qualifications this year. It’s easy to gloss over achievements like that, but anyone who’s juggled a full workload while studying will know how impressive it is.

• Martyna took the lead on compliance and has put robust policies and systems in place that give the whole business more stability.
• Emily continues to grow rapidly; she already had the raw ability, but this year she’s really stepped into her role with confidence.
• Matt built and delivered an entire system for planning, compliance and personnel logistics - something we’ll be using on future projects, probably for years.
• Carolyn has continued to manage key accounts for us and alongside Emily, has had fantastic success on a UK wide permanent recruitment campaign for a leading engineering company in the nuclear sector.

We also welcomed Michaela Folkes as Principal Recruiter. Her background in large-scale technical recruitment has slotted into our existing setup perfectly.

And behind the scenes, Neil and Judith have once again kept everything running smoothly. With the variety of contracts, rates and conditions they handle, getting payroll right every time is no small feat.

What Makes People With Energy… People with Energy

A recurring theme this year has been the number of clients telling us how much they value speaking to recruiters who actually understand the energy industry. Not in a surface-level way, but in the sense that they can talk about offshore requirements, nuclear clearances, contractor logistics or compliance with real familiarity.

That comes from decades in the sector, and it’s something we’re protective of. We’ve never tried to be all things to all industries - we’ve always kept our focus on where we have genuine expertise.

That depth makes a difference in the conversations we have every day.

Looking Toward 2026

Next year already feels like it’s going to be busy. The new partnership with AVA means more opportunities, more reach, and inevitably a growing team. There’s a noticeable rise in demand for people across renewables, nuclear, wind, grid infrastructure and the wider clean-energy space.

We’re already seeing signs that more clients are thinking long-term rather than just plugging gaps. A lot of companies are now planning out their workforce needs several years ahead, and those conversations naturally turn into ongoing partnerships rather than one-off requests. That’s really where we do our best work - not simply finding people for today, but helping to put together the teams that will carry these projects forward in the years to come.

A Note of Thanks Before the Holidays

We can’t talk about the year without thanking the people who’ve been part of it - clients, contractors, candidates and everyone who’s trusted us with their time, work and plans.

Our aim going into 2026 is straightforward: keep the same clarity, reliability and specialist knowledge people come to us for, and keep improving the way we support both clients and candidates as the market evolves.

Christmas & New Years Hours

Our offices will close at 17:00 on 23 December 2025 and reopen on 5 January 2026. For anyone working offshore during that period, a dedicated on-duty line will be available to provide support whenever it’s needed.

If you’d like to talk about plans for early 2026 - upcoming roles, project staffing, or longer-term recruitment strategies - you can reach us as normal before the break, and we’ll be straight back to it in January.

Here’s to a productive, steady and optimistic 2026.