Ageism in HSEQ Recruitment: Why Experience Is Becoming a Critical Risk Control

As organisations reset priorities and workforce plans for the year ahead, one issue continues to surface quietly in recruitment conversations - ageism.

In many industries, age bias is problematic. In the Health, Safety, Environment & Quality (HSEQ) sector, it is something more serious: a growing operational risk. HSEQ senior leaders are built on lived experience, with credibility that grows through years of real-world practice. Yet, increasingly, experienced professionals are being filtered out, often unintentionally, at the very point where their value is greatest.

The workforce reality: experience is leaving the HSEQ sector

Australia’s HSEQ workforce is ageing, particularly across manufacturing, energy, construction, transport, logistics and regional operations. Based on long-term workforce trends and safety participation data:

• 35–40% of senior HSEQ professionals are currently aged 50+

• A large proportion will exit the workforce within the next 7–10 years

• While graduates continue to enter the sector, they are not replacing experienced, like-for-like

In higher-risk environments, it often takes a decade or more to build the judgement and confidence required to lead safely. Experience cannot be accelerated. By the mid-2030s, Australia is likely to lose 30–40% of its most experienced HSEQ practitioners, a loss already showing up through:

• Re-advertised roles

• Extended vacancy periods

• Over-reliance on consultants

• Burnout among remaining senior leaders

This isn’t a future problem; it’s already playing out across the market.

What does the research around ageism tell us?

A 2025 report by the Australian HR Institute in collaboration with the Australian Human Rights Commission, Older and Younger Workers: What Do Employers Think?, highlights a concerning shift in how age is perceived in Australian workplaces.

The report found that almost one quarter (24%) of HR professionals now classify workers aged 51–55 as “older”, which is an increase of 10 % since 2023. This suggests that experienced professionals are being sidelined earlier in their careers, at a time when employers are widely reporting labour and skills shortages.

Despite 55% of those who responded indicating they have hard-to-fill vacancies, only 56% said they are open to hiring workers aged 50–64 to a large extent. This willingness drops sharply to 28% for workers aged 65 and over, with 18% stating they would not hire this age group at all.

In the context of HSEQ, these findings are particularly concerning. Many senior safety, risk and governance roles rely heavily on judgement, regulatory confidence, and lived operational experience, which are capabilities that typically sit with more experienced professionals. When organisations struggle to fill critical HSEQ roles yet hesitate to engage older workers, they risk deepening capability gaps in areas where the consequences of poor decisions are highest.

While outdated stereotypes often frame older workers as less adaptable or innovative, the report challenges this narrative. Highlighting the clear benefits of leveraging a multi-generational workforce, where experience, perspective, and institutional knowledge strengthen organisational capability rather than limit it.

This gap points to a clear disconnect between ongoing skills shortages and the willingness of some organisations to fully embrace experienced workers as part of the solution.

The subtle age bias in HSEQ recruitment

Ageism in recruitment is rarely deliberate, but more often, it shows up through language and assumptions such as:

• “We’re looking for a fresh set of eyes”

• “They might be too senior for the role”

• “We’re worried about cultural fit”

• “This might be a step back for them” 

Individually, these phrases seem harmless. Collectively, they create invisible barriers that seem to exclude experienced professionals, many with 20, 25 or 30+ years of frontline, leadership and regulator-facing experience.

What I’m seeing from HSEQ candidates

As a recruiter and consultant currently across HSEQ,  I’ve had many conversations with highly experienced HSEQ candidates who arrive already feeling defeated.

They’re hesitant. They’re unsure how to position themselves. They question whether their experience is still wanted. Often, that doubt sets in before a single application is even written. This is where I get very real.

If you treat something as a blocker, it almost always becomes one. The market is competitive. It’s evolving. But opportunity hasn’t disappeared, it’s just changed shape. What matters is how you approach and navigate it.

A recruiter’s message to HSEQ candidates

Confidence is built, not assumed. Some of the most effective things experienced candidates can do right now include:

• Having a proper review of their CV, ensuring it is current, commercial and outcome-focused

• Highlighting impact and influence, not just tenure

• Streamlining what’s no longer relevant

• Writing cover letters that speak to value, not defence

• Staying current with systems, tools and industry practices

• Utilising a consultant for interview practice and advice

• Considering short courses or refreshers that reinforce relevance

All of these steps build towards one thing: confidence. And confidence changes how experience is received. Ageism may exist, but it doesn’t define your value unless you allow it to.

A recruiter’s message to HSEQ employers 

Experience is intellectual property. From a client perspective, age bias is rarely intentional, but its impact is real. Subtle cues can narrow the field and exclude candidates who could strengthen your business the most. The question shouldn’t be “Is this person too experienced?” It should be “How does this experience strengthen our business?”

In a tightening market, experience shouldn’t be seen as a cost to manage, but a value to leverage. Progressive employers are:

• Building mixed-experience teams

• Retaining senior practitioners in advisory or mentoring roles

• Removing age-coded language from job ads

• Hiring for credibility and leadership maturity

Strong safety cultures aren’t built by one generation alone.

The future of ageism in HSEQ recruitment

The HSEQ sector is heading toward an experience gap, whether we like it or not. The organisations that succeed will be those that:

• Value capability over age

• Transfer knowledge before it exits the company

• Balance emerging talent with seasoned leadership

• Plan succession early

Age diversity in HSEQ isn’t a social initiative. It’s risk management, resilience and future-proofing. In a profession where decisions affect real people and real outcomes, experience doesn’t just matter; it protects.

How proteqt supports the HSEQ community

At proteqt, we provide specialist Health & Safety, Environment and Quality recruitment services and partner with clients, candidates and organisations to help create safer, more resilient workplaces.

For organisations, that means supporting workforce planning, succession, and access to experienced HSEQ professionals who strengthen risk management, governance and safety culture.

For candidates,  particularly senior professionals navigating a changing market,  it means providing honest advice, practical guidance, and confidence-building support. From reviewing and positioning CVs to sharing market insights, role fit and interview preparation, we work closely with individuals to ensure their experience is clearly understood and valued.

If you’re a senior HSEQ professional experiencing challenges navigating the current market, or an organisation thinking about how to retain, attract or transfer critical safety capability, we’re always open to a confidential conversation. Contact our team.