“Ten welders, urgent.” Requisitions like this go out every day, and they explain a lot of failed site tests. A recruiter reading that line has to guess the welding process, the material, the position, the code and the experience level. Each guess is a chance to send the wrong person. What follows explains how HR teams, project managers and discipline leads can define a technical manpower requisition that recruiters can actually act on.
What is a technical manpower requisition?
A technical manpower requisition is the formal request that defines the personnel a project needs: the role, the number of people, the technical requirements, the timing and the working conditions. It is the specification the recruiter sources against and the standard every candidate is assessed against.
Fields every requisition should include
| Field | What to specify | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Job title and discipline | The role as the site uses it, such as “pipe fitter, carbon steel process piping” | Titles vary between companies and countries |
| Quantity | Number required, plus any phasing | Drives sourcing volume |
| Core technical requirements | Processes, equipment, materials and codes | Separates suitable from unsuitable candidates |
| Experience | Years, and on which facility types | Refinery experience differs from commercial construction |
| Certifications | Mandatory and preferred, with accepted issuing bodies | Avoids certificates the client will not accept |
| Testing | Test or interview format, pass criteria, who witnesses | Sets expectations for candidates and recruiters |
| Mobilization and duration | Required arrival date, contract length, rotation | Determines the recruitment timeline |
| Site conditions | Location, climate, shift pattern, remote or urban | Affects suitability and retention |
| Terms | Salary band, accommodation, transport, leave | Determines whether good candidates accept |
Trade-specific details that are often missed
Welders
Process (SMAW, GTAW, FCAW), position (for example 6G for pipe), material (carbon steel, stainless or alloy), thickness range, and the code or client standard the welder will be tested to.
Pipe fitters
Pipe sizes and materials, whether the work is shop spooling or field erection, and whether the fitter must read isometric drawings independently.
Electricians and instrument technicians
Voltage levels, hazardous area experience, termination standards, instrument types and control systems, and whether calibration or loop checking is part of the role.
Supervisors and foremen
The crew size they will lead, language requirements and any client approval process for supervisory positions.
The detailed criteria recruiters then apply are covered in screening criteria for welders, fitters and technicians.
Common requisition mistakes
- Copying a generic job description instead of describing the actual work
- Listing every possible skill as mandatory, which shrinks the candidate pool for no reason
- Leaving out the test standard, so candidates are tested one way at source and another way at site
- Raising the requisition late, after the work front has already opened
- Changing requirements mid-search without telling the recruiter
A short example
Take a requisition for 12 pipe welders on a refinery expansion. A usable version would read: GTAW root with SMAW fill and cap on carbon steel and low-alloy pipe; 6G qualification to the project welding procedure; at least five years in refinery or petrochemical construction; tested at source with coupons examined by radiography; mobilization in two groups of six, four weeks apart; 12-month contract on site rotation; camp accommodation provided.
A recruiter can source and screen against that. There is very little anyone can do with “12 welders”.
Where good requisitions come from
Good requisitions start with a workforce forecast. When quantities and dates come from the schedule, as described in forecasting skilled labor requirements by project phase, requisitions can be raised early enough to be filled. Once approved, the requisition starts the chain explained in from manpower requisition to overseas deployment.
Apex Core Engineering begins each recruitment assignment with requirement analysis, working through these details with the client before sourcing starts. Candidates are then assessed against the agreed criteria through its manpower selection services.
Frequently asked questions
Who should approve a manpower requisition?
Usually the discipline lead or construction manager confirms the technical requirements, while project management or HR approves numbers and budget.
How far in advance should a requisition be raised?
Early enough to cover sourcing, testing, approvals, documentation, visas and travel. For international hires that typically means many weeks before the mobilization date.
Should salary be included in the requisition?
Including a salary band stops recruiters presenting candidates who will decline the offer. Whether the figure is shared with candidates is a separate decision.
Send your requisition to Apex Core Engineering for review.