Attracting experienced talent
Competition across the sector for senior engineers and technical leaders was increasing, making it difficult to attract the calibre of people the business needed.
X
CPW
CPW partnered with Konker to strengthen its employer brand, showcase what makes the business different and attract more of the right people through a combination of specialist recruitment strategies and employer branding.
The challenge
Telling the employer story
CPW has an outstanding culture, clear progression opportunities and a genuine commitment to sustainability, but very little of that was visible to the market.
Time spent on recruitment
Applications often lacked quality, creating additional work for hiring managers whilst slowing down the recruitment process.
The solution
Rather than just filling vacancies, we focused on helping CPW become an employer that engineers wanted to work for. By combining specialist recruitment with employer branding, we created a joined-up approach designed to strengthen CPW's employer proposition, attract the right candidates and improve hiring outcomes.
01
Employer Branding & Content
A strong employer brand gives candidates confidence before they apply. Working with CPW, we developed a content strategy designed to showcase the people, culture and opportunities behind the business.
The result was a library of authentic content that continues to support CPW's recruitment activity long after individual vacancies have been filled.
- Employer branding strategy
- A high-impact hero film showing what life is really like at CPW
- Social media content
- Team photography
“Working with Pat and Konker Media was a great experience from start to finish. Communication was clear, turnaround times exceeded expectations, and the whole project was managed smoothly, making the process straightforward and enjoyable. The final content has highlighted the value of high-quality video and media for our business, and we would happily work with Konker Media again and recommend them to others.”
02
Specialist Recruitment
Alongside the employer branding activity, Konker worked as CPW's recruitment partner, representing the business in the market and introducing engineers who aligned with both the technical requirements and company culture.
Because candidates already understood what made CPW different, conversations were stronger, interviews were more meaningful and hiring became more efficient.
- Understood the culture & goals
- Target the hardest roles
- Deliver a stand out candidate experience
- Worked as part of the team
“Jevon is great to work with, he takes the time to really understand the business and the type of people we're looking for. Because of that, the candidates he sends through are always of a high standard and a good fit for our roles. We're recruiting in a market where skilled talent can be hard to find, but Jevon consistently finds strong candidates and takes a lot of the pressure out of the hiring process. His communication is great throughout, and we know that when Jevon sends us a CV, it's going to be worth looking at. I'd happily recommend Jevon and Konker Recruitment to anyone looking for a recruiter who genuinely cares about getting the right candidates.”
CPW team spotlights
Steve Umbers
Director & Mechanical Engineer
Steve joined CPW as a 17-year-old trainee in 2003 and credits mentoring, support and the company's culture for his career progression. Today, he's passionate about giving back by mentoring the next generation and helping others follow the same path.
“There's no ceiling at CPW. You drive as hard as you want to go, and the business will notice that and reward you.”
Amy Thrupp
Associate Sustainability Consultant
Amy loves that no two days are the same and values the culture at CPW, where learning, support and career progression are part of everyday life. She believes the business genuinely invests in its people, giving them the tools and opportunities to grow into future leaders.
“The people that I work with are one of the best things about this place.”
Max Smith
Trainee Electrical Design Engineer
Since joining CPW, Max has been supported with hands-on training, specialist guidance and opportunities to take on new challenges, helping him grow faster than ever before.
“I've learnt more in the six or seven months I've been here than I did in the two years prior as a trainee.”
Victoria Sadler
Associate Lighting Principal
Having spent 14 years at CPW, Victoria values the variety of projects, collaborative culture and the opportunities for continuous learning. She believes the people and supportive environment are what make CPW such a rewarding place to build a career.
“The people are really what makes CPW.”
Nilesh Mistry
Director of Power Systems
Nilesh has helped grow CPW's Power Systems team into a nationally recognised specialist function while championing the development of future engineers. He believes CPW provides the support, opportunities and career pathways for people to progress as far as their ambition takes them.
“If you've got the attitude, the skills and the appetite, you can progress in this business.”
Alex Justin
Senior Mechanical Engineer
Alex joined CPW to develop both his technical expertise and leadership skills. From day one, he was trusted to lead projects, work directly with clients and collaborate on a diverse range of exciting developments across multiple sectors.
“From my first week, I was already leading projects mechanically.”
1 of 6 stories
The impact
6
On average CVs sent per role placed
46
Interviews secured
15
Offers accepted
Graduate → Associate
Roles successfully filled
Why it worked
The most successful recruitment partnerships don't begin when a vacancy opens. They begin by creating a business that candidates already want to work for. For CPW, that meant combining:
- 1Authentic employer branding
- 2Specialist industry specific recruitment
- 3A long-term recruitment partnership
Together, these created a more consistent and effective approach to attracting, engaging and hiring the right people.
Ready to chat to our team?
If your business is finding it difficult to attract experienced engineers, our team could be the missing piece. We'll help you to define what makes your business different, tell that story through engaging content and connect you with the people you actually want to hire.
