Accidental Careers in BMS: What Hidden Entry Paths Reveal About the Building Management Systems Talent Pipeline
- Al Vickers
- Nov 4
- 3 min read
When we asked professionals what first got them into BMS, most said: “pure accident”. It’s a story we hear every week. People often discover BMS rather than choose it.
That pattern reveals three big truths: the industry’s low visibility, unclear entry routes, and huge potential for change.
The Path to BMS Is Often Indirect
A consistent narrative runs through the Smart Buildings community: people arrive here through other disciplines: electrical apprenticeships, HVAC projects, or facilities engineering roles. That indirect route highlights a long-standing challenge. Entry pathways into BMS remain far less defined than in other technical sectors. The industry recognises it too. In a recent submission to Parliament, the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) pointed to a “lack of new entrants” and a “skills shortage in smart building control skills” across non-domestic buildings. While the sector is thriving, visibility and awareness remain underdeveloped.
Demand Is Strong, Awareness Isn’t
BCIA data continues to show steady year-on-year growth in the UK BEMS market driven by retrofit demand, decarbonisation targets, and the race for operational efficiency. Yet despite this momentum, many young or mid-career engineers still don’t know BMS exists as a career path. The opportunity is vast in purpose, innovation, and stability but awareness remains limited. For employers, that means you can’t simply wait for qualified engineers. You may need to build them.
How “Accidental” Entry Shapes the Workforce
When professionals enter BMS by chance, the effects ripple through the workforce:
Engineers often join mid-career rather than through structured graduate routes
Training and career path clarity can be inconsistent
Salary and progression visibility may vary
The BCIA highlights this too. While the Level 4 BEMS Controls Engineer Apprenticeship exists, entrant numbers remain modest compared to demand. The result? A technically strong but fragmented workforce developed through experience rather than design.
What Employers Can Do
If your talent isn’t arriving through a clear route, it’s time to rethink how you attract and develop it.
Hire from adjacent disciplines like electrical, automation, and HVAC, where skills transition naturally into BMS
Invest in structured training from manufacturer courses to in-house controls workshops
Show your purpose by connecting BMS to innovation, sustainability, and building performance
Create visible progression paths so engineers can see a future from service to commissioning, design, analytics, or management
Doing this shifts hiring from reactive to proactive from competing for the few already aware to engineering your own pipeline.
What Candidates Should Know & Building Management Systems Careers
If you found your way into BMS indirectly, you’re not alone and it’s not a disadvantage.
The engineers progressing fastest are those who:
Take ownership of their training and certifications
Explore analytics, IoT, and cloud-based controls
Understand their value through market insight and benchmarking
Build a future-ready skill set that merges controls, data, and sustainability
Career paths are becoming clearer from service to commissioning, to design, analytics, or management. The key is to see the path, and walk it deliberately.
The Role of Recruitment and VIGO’s Value
At VIGO, recruitment in BMS goes far beyond filling vacancies. We focus on:
Education, helping candidates understand the scope of the industry
Translation, showing employers how transferable skills fit into BMS
Insight, using salary data and market intelligence to guide smart hiring decisions
When we partner with clients across service, commissioning, and analytics, we’re not just sourcing talent we’re helping shape the next generation of the BMS workforce.
Accidental Isn’t Weak It’s Opportunity
The “accidental entry” story in BMS isn’t a flaw; it’s an opportunity. If so many people found their way here by chance, imagine how many more could be drawn in if the pathway were clearer and the value more visible.
For employers, candidates, and recruiters alike, the mission is simple: Make Building management Systems a careers one of choice not coincidence.
This article is brought to you by VIGO Recruitment, your partner in finding top talent for the Smart Buildings, Building Management Systems, and Energy Optimisation sectors. Let us help you build your future, one hire at a time.
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