At Solar & Storage Live in London, we caught up with Zoraida Bejarano, Head of Talent Management at NextEnergy Group, to learn more about the company’s presence in the Recruitment Zone.
She shares why the company chose to join the Zone and how it’s helped them connect with a diverse range of talent.
Zoraida additionally highlights the benefits of in-person networking and explains how Solar & Storage Live has supported NextEnergy’s ongoing recruitment efforts across the UK and Europe.
How is NextEnergy Group participating in Solar & Storage Live in London?
Zoraida: We’re here today in the Recruitment Zone, meeting with candidates and potential applicants who are interested in our company.
Why did NextEnergy Group decide to join the Recruitment Zone?
Zoraida: We joined the Recruitment Zone because we’re growing a lot in the UK – but also across Europe – so it was a really good opportunity to meet people, network, and explain what NextEnergy Group does in the industry.
How has the experience been at the Recruitment Zone?
Zoraida: It’s been surprisingly really, really good. We were expecting a lot of candidates from installer backgrounds, but we’ve found a lot of candidates with finance, corporate, and health and safety backgrounds, which are really interesting for us.
They don’t just have experience in the UK either – they have global experience, which is a big value-add for us. The calibre has been great – not only young professionals, but also really experienced ones who want to connect with us. So, it’s been brilliant so far.
Have you met suitable candidates for NextEnergy’s open roles?
Zoraida: We’ve received a lot of applications. Solar & Storage has created a platform where candidates can apply directly to our roles, and we’ve been in touch with them since last week.
We were able to review their CVs in advance and schedule face-to-face meetings here. The platform and setup have really helped us meet people. We also have interviews scheduled for some of our current open roles.
What have been the best benefits of joining the Recruitment Zone?
Zoraida: I think the best part is networking with candidates. I was just speaking with a really senior candidate.
Sometimes, it’s difficult for us to meet people like that, especially when certain roles never actually reach the market, because we fill them internally or go through agencies due to the seniority or confidentiality involved.
Being able to network like this is really useful for us to explain who we are and what we do. We’re a medium-sized organisation, and we’re competing with big names.
Being here, getting our brand out there, and making sure people know who we are – and that we’re an employer of choice – is really valuable.
Again, I think the key benefit is the networking. The talent pool here has been really diverse. Sometimes we don’t have access to that kind of talent because our recruitment sources are quite traditional, and we often rely on our own networks.
Coming here and connecting with different people has been very important. A lot of our colleagues are also here, so candidates have been able to speak with their potential managers and get a better understanding of what the role, responsibilities, and day-to-day work look like at our company.
In the European solar industry? Don’t miss out on Solar & Storage Live España – Spain’s most exciting solar and energy storage exhibition – taking place at Feria Valencia on 25-26 June 2025.
