In a time when nearly every industry faces a labor shortage, GES has taken a value-driven approach to building its workforce. GES is proud to be among the few Nevada companies on the Zweig Group’s “Best Firms to Work For” list for over a decade, a recognition earned through independent and confidential employee surveys covering everything from work-life balance to compensation and technology. Our commitment to a hybrid work environment, monthly staff engagement that spans our 4 offices, and investment in modern tools reflects a belief that a positive, flexible workplace drives loyalty. By striving to be a “Best Place to Work,” GES attracts top-notch applicants and keeps the talented people we’ve worked hard to find.
That commitment to building a strong team begins early, including targeted recruitment efforts at the collegiate level. One such initiative is the Deep Dig Rotational Internship program which exposes participants to each of GES’s disciplines: engineering, materials testing, field inspections, environmental services, and administration. Rotations span multiple months, providing hands-on experience that carries real weight in the industry. The program has a strong track record: we currently have employees who started as interns, including Ty Miller, who is now our Northern Nevada Engineering Lead, and Joshua Beacom, who is now a Staff Engineer.
Much of our field and lab staff is “home grown” through our entry-level technician training program. GES hires people who embody our core values—honesty, humility, courage, and respect—because we can teach the technical skills. This approach has produced standout leaders like Vince, now Field Supervisor in Las Vegas, and Dakota, who leads our field and lab team in Reno.
The centerpiece of our retention efforts is GES’ 360 Leadership Academy, a six-month, invitation-only program that develops the next generation of GES leaders. Led by a professional instructor with a roster of guest speakers, the program equips our team with practical skills they can apply immediately. The results are clear: eight of nine individuals from the first graduating class remain with GES, and three have earned promotions in the past two years. Our current emerging leaders group of 11 participants continues this momentum, with nearly half coming from our field and lab teams, a reflection of GES’s commitment to growing leaders at every level of the organization.
At GES, recruitment and retention are two sides of the same coin. When people feel valued, developed, and connected to a culture they believe in, they stay and also help us build our team even stronger. It is far easier to keep a great employee than to find one, and everything we do is built around that truth. A strong team is essential to meeting and exceeding the needs of our clients.