Laren began her journey with Rising Edge in 2022 while exploring a career shift, coming on board as the company’s first dedicated recruiter. Applying full life-cycle recruiting expertise to source, screen, and hire for roles at every level and discipline, she’s helped fill hundreds of positions across North America, growing the team from 300 to nearly 700 employees since she joined. As Rising Edge grew, so did her role; evolving from Recruiter to Talent Acquisition Specialist, and now Talent Acquisition Manager, leading key initiatives in onboarding, employee development, and beyond.
Her path here wasn’t a traditional one. A Communications degree with a major in Journalism from Mount Royal University, followed by a career in hospitality management, gave her a foundation in team leadership, problem-solving, and customer service long before she stepped into recruiting. That background still shows up in how she works today, using social media and communications skills to strengthen Rising Edge’s employer brand, attract talent, and engage stakeholders, all while staying focused on finding the right fit for both candidate and company.
Her take on the challenges and opportunities in recruiting for one of the most demanding industries out there:
“The biggest challenge in hiring for this industry right now isn’t finding people who want the work, it’s finding people with the right experience, at the scale the energy transition actually demands. High-voltage talent is scarce, and every company in this space is competing for the same pool. The industry’s usual response has been to poach, offer a short-term bump, and hope retention sorts itself out. That doesn’t build a workforce, it just moves the same shortage around.
At Rising Edge, we’ve taken a different approach: we invest in people who might not check every box on day one, but who have the right attitude and aptitude to grow into the role. Apprenticeships, mentorship, cross-training between field and office. Some of our strongest leaders today started in entry-level positions and grew their entire careers here. That’s a talent pipeline we’re proud to have built.
The other shift I’m watching closely is what candidates actually want now. People aren’t just looking for a paycheck, they’re looking for a place where the work matters and where there’s a real path forward. Our industry is genuinely building the infrastructure behind the energy transition. That’s a compelling story, but only if the day-to-day experience backs it up. Candidates can tell the difference between a company that talks about culture and one that lives it.
I enjoy building lasting relationships with diverse, talented people, and that’s really what recruiting comes down to for me. Our competitive edge in hiring is the same as our competitive edge on a project site, it’s our people, and how we treat them. We tell candidates honestly what this work looks like, what growth here actually requires, and we follow through once they’re hired. That honesty is rare in this industry, and it’s exactly why people stay.
That’s what finding your STRIDE really means to me. It’s not a slogan we hand someone on their first day, it’s Safety, Teamwork, Responsibility, Integrity, Deliver, Excellence, showing up in how we recruit, onboard, and grow people, from their very first conversation with us.”
Her path here wasn’t a traditional one. A Communications degree with a major in Journalism from Mount Royal University, followed by a career in hospitality management, gave her a foundation in team leadership, problem-solving, and customer service long before she stepped into recruiting. That background still shows up in how she works today, using social media and communications skills to strengthen Rising Edge’s employer brand, attract talent, and engage stakeholders, all while staying focused on finding the right fit for both candidate and company.
Her take on the challenges and opportunities in recruiting for one of the most demanding industries out there:
“The biggest challenge in hiring for this industry right now isn’t finding people who want the work, it’s finding people with the right experience, at the scale the energy transition actually demands. High-voltage talent is scarce, and every company in this space is competing for the same pool. The industry’s usual response has been to poach, offer a short-term bump, and hope retention sorts itself out. That doesn’t build a workforce, it just moves the same shortage around.
At Rising Edge, we’ve taken a different approach: we invest in people who might not check every box on day one, but who have the right attitude and aptitude to grow into the role. Apprenticeships, mentorship, cross-training between field and office. Some of our strongest leaders today started in entry-level positions and grew their entire careers here. That’s a talent pipeline we’re proud to have built.
The other shift I’m watching closely is what candidates actually want now. People aren’t just looking for a paycheck, they’re looking for a place where the work matters and where there’s a real path forward. Our industry is genuinely building the infrastructure behind the energy transition. That’s a compelling story, but only if the day-to-day experience backs it up. Candidates can tell the difference between a company that talks about culture and one that lives it.
I enjoy building lasting relationships with diverse, talented people, and that’s really what recruiting comes down to for me. Our competitive edge in hiring is the same as our competitive edge on a project site, it’s our people, and how we treat them. We tell candidates honestly what this work looks like, what growth here actually requires, and we follow through once they’re hired. That honesty is rare in this industry, and it’s exactly why people stay.
That’s what finding your STRIDE really means to me. It’s not a slogan we hand someone on their first day, it’s Safety, Teamwork, Responsibility, Integrity, Deliver, Excellence, showing up in how we recruit, onboard, and grow people, from their very first conversation with us.”