AddÉnergie recently completed a $ 53 million round of financing which will enable it to accelerate its expansion in the United States. To expand its charging network for electric vehicles, the company needs to increase its workforce.
“This funding was a trigger for the creation of several new positions,” explains Sylvain Bouffard, Director, Communications and Public Affairs.
Jobs that are to be filled on the other side of the border, but also in the province, at the company’s head office in Quebec City and at its Shawinigan plant.
“In the United States, we are mainly looking for specialists in market development,” explains Mr. Bouffard.
Established in our neighbors to the South since 2017, AddÉnergie has extended its FLO network of charging stations in cities such as Los Angeles and Cincinnati in 2020, despite the pandemic.
A favorable context
It is now ready to open up new markets, both in the residential and commercial sector and in the transport fleets.
“The context is favorable to the development of electric vehicles,” says Sylvain Bouffard. Growth prospects are very strong in both Canada and the United States. “
In fact, according to Bloomberg, sales of electric cars (EVs) are expected to represent 28% of global new vehicle sales by 2030, and reach 58% by 2040.
With more EVs on the roads, it will therefore be necessary to multiply the number of charging stations. Currently, every month, AddÉnergie records around 500,000 charging sessions on its FLO network, which has 35,000 stations. It is also a partner with Electric Circuit, which has a large charging network in Quebec and Ontario.
Due to its expansion, AddÉnergie must increase its recruitment efforts for all of its positions in Quebec. The company aims in particular to recruit personnel for network operations, namely specialists in networking and software development.
“These are difficult positions to fill. Candidates do not stay in the job market for long, ”explains Rachel Le Roy-Audy, Senior Advisor, Talent Acquisition.
To increase applications, AddÉnergie has set up a referral program to encourage employees to recommend people from their own network with a bonus if the candidate is selected. A strategy that is bearing fruit, for all types of positions to be filled.
“We thus obtain a quality of profiles that meets our needs. Employees recommend people who fit well into the company’s culture, ”says Ms. Le Roy-Audy.
Manufacturing jobs
There is also employment growth at the Shawinigan plant, where around 50 people currently work.
“For assembler positions, we are constantly recruiting,” she explains.
“We will also have to increase our production capacity. We want to optimize our manufacturing processes thanks to automation, in particular, ”explains Sylvain Bouffard.
Although the recruitment challenge remains great, “AddÉnergie is fortunate to work in an inspiring sector,” says Ms. Le Roy-Audy.
“The fight against climate change is a cause that inspires people a lot. This helps us to convince candidates from the first contact. They develop a sense of pride in contributing to the development of this industry, ”she adds.