SERT

What SERT does

SERT Group Limited is a UK-based specialist recruitment firm operating under the ownership of private equity sponsor Meraki Capital. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Portsmouth, the firm provides temporary, contract, permanent, and project-based workforce solutions across two tightly defined verticals: utilities and green energy, including the ECO4 retrofit market. The company serves utility contractors, retrofit installers, and infrastructure employers with a national UK footprint of 14 offices and a candidate network of more than 260,000 pre-vetted professionals.

SERT monetises through standard recruitment margin economics on placements and contractor billings, supplemented by workforce-management services such as a dedicated Candidate Care Team and digital onboarding, timesheet, and invoicing administration. The firm holds regulatory credentials including JOSCAR registration, MCS certification, and PAS 2035 compliance, which pre-qualify it for utility, defence/aerospace, and government-funded retrofit frameworks. Strategic training partnerships with The Retrofit Academy Hampshire and Future Isle of Wight CIC, together with an in-house training facility in Fareham, extend SERT's role upstream into workforce development.

The firm's expansion path combines organic office roll-out, vertical extension into defence and aerospace, and ecosystem buildout around publicly-funded retrofit programmes, all backed by Meraki Capital's private-equity capital. As of the most recent available data, no AI/ML capability has been disclosed, and revenue, headcount, and customer-mix figures remain undisclosed.

Name

SERT

Legal name

SERT Group Limited

Website

https://sert.work

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SERT Group Limited is a UK-based specialist recruitment firm serving utilities and green energy contractors with a national network of 14 offices and 260,000+ pre-vetted candidates, operating under Meraki Capital ownership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialist Recruitment & Workforce Staffing

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131), Temporary Help Services (561320)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional & Technical Direct Hire (IT, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare) (BPACAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Light Industrial & Warehouse Temp Staffing (BPACACAB)

Keywords

• Utilities recruitment services
• Green energy staffing
• Engineering workforce solutions
• Contractor recruitment
• Infrastructure staffing

Headquarters

HQ city

Portsmouth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Recruitment and Staffing Services: SERT generates revenue through placing skilled professionals (engineers, operatives, technicians) across utilities and green energy sectors. Revenue is derived from project-based, temporary, permanent, and contract staffing engagements. The company handles payroll services (PAYE, umbrella, CIS) as part of its offering.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SERT provides specialist recruitment and workforce staffing solutions focused exclusively on the utilities and green energy sectors in the UK. The company supplies temporary, permanent, contract, and project-based staff to contractors, infrastructure providers, defence organisations, and energy firms across 14 UK offices. SERT maintains a database of over 260,000 pre-vetted candidates and supports clients with compliance verification, digital timesheets, payroll administration, and a dedicated candidate care team.

Product overview

SERT is a specialist recruitment company offering end-to-end staffing solutions across two core divisions: Utilities recruitment (smart meter installers, gas engineers, water operatives, civils, and field technicians) and Green Energy recruitment (solar PV, air source heat pumps, EV charging, and retrofit with MCS-certified and PAS 2035-compliant professionals). The company operates four service models: temporary labour, permanent placement, contract staffing, and project-based recruitment. Supporting services include a Candidate Care Team for onboarding and welfare, digital administration with timesheets and invoicing, and multiple payroll options (PAYE, umbrella, CIS). All candidates receive pre-vetting, qualification verification, and right-to-work checks before deployment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Utilities & Green Energy Temporary Labour Solutions
• Permanent Placement Recruitment
• Contract Staffing Solutions
• Project-Based Recruitment Services
• Digital Administration Platform (Magnus Search & Smart Automation)
• Candidate Care & Compliance Service

Quantifiable outcome

• Lower no-show rates through Candidate Care Team and ongoing welfare check-ins
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Future Isle of Wight CICcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSERT works with Future Isle of Wight CIC to help construction industry clients obtain skills needed for retrofitting thousands of island homes eligible for Energy Company Obligation 4. The partnership aims to leave a future skills legacy by providing fishing rods rather than fish - empowering workers with marketable skills.
• The Retrofit Academy HampshirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunch of TRA Hampshire in partnership with SERT Group extends capacity for delivering retrofit at scale in the South East. Learners who train at The Retrofit Academy Hampshire get access to nation's leading training courses and graduate in a strong position to support large-scale retrofit across the UK.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Michael Page UK: Established UK professional recruitment firm with engineering and technical permanent placement divisions. Overlaps with SERT on permanent direct hire in engineering and technical roles, though focused on higher-skill white-collar placements.
• Gi Group UK: Global staffing provider with UK operations covering engineering, technical, and industrial staffing. Provides overlap with SERT in technical and contractor supply but as part of a much broader multi-sector portfolio.
• Reed Specialist Recruitment: Major UK recruitment agency with a dedicated engineering and technical division. Overlaps with SERT in technical staffing, but operates across many industries with a much larger candidate pool and brand footprint.
• Hays UK & Ireland: Large established UK recruitment firm with strong presence in construction, engineering, and property sectors. Provides overlapping capabilities in permanent and contract placement but as part of a much broader portfolio spanning multiple professional disciplines.
• Randstad UK: Global staffing leader with a significant UK presence across technical, engineering, and industrial verticals. Competes broadly with SERT for engineering contractor placements but without the same depth of sector specialisation.

Direct peers

• Airswift: Specialist staffing provider focused on energy, process, and infrastructure sectors with strong contractor placement capabilities. Closely aligned with SERT in target verticals (utilities, energy transition) and contractor-centric delivery model.
• VGC Group: UK-based specialist recruitment and labour provider focused on infrastructure, rail, utilities, and construction sectors. Highly comparable to SERT in vertical specialisation, contractor supply, and UK infrastructure client base.
• NES Fircroft: Global specialist engineering and technical recruitment firm with deep energy and infrastructure verticals. Directly comparable to SERT in serving engineering contractors on project-based and contract engagements, though operating globally rather than UK-only.
• Skilled Careers (Skilled Group): UK specialist recruiter focused on construction, mechanical & electrical, and facilities management sectors. Directly comparable to SERT in serving infrastructure contractors with project-based and contract staffing solutions.
• Oradeo Recruitment: Specialist construction and engineering recruitment firm serving UK and Irish infrastructure projects. Directly comparable to SERT in delivering technical and field-based workforce for large-scale infrastructure programmes.

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sert-workforce-solutions-in-technology-and-engineering

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SERT