[Pictured Above: John Corwell]

John has been with Trillium since January of 2019 and has been working with the same client since December of 2019. John is an tremendously experienced, well-rounded Industrial and Commercial Journeyman Pipefitter who is a team player with great leadership skills.

“He is my eyes and ears on job sites, especially when it comes to safety.  I never have to worry if he is at work on time or prepared with the proper PPE. He takes pride in his work and only does work he would “put his name on”. He’s not a guy who lets his ego get in the way, he’s confident in his ability and his work ethic as well as the end results speaks for itself.  He is a model employee who represents Trillium in the best way every day. We are lucky to have him on the team.” – Walt Jones, Cleveland Branch Manager

In appreciation of John’s loyalty and hard work, he will be receiving a VISA gift card, Trillium jacket and an award. Congratulations on a job well done, we look forward to continuing to watch your career grow with us!

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions and Trillium Technical. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 35th Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2020 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

[Pictured from Left to Right: Brandon Silvera – Divisional Vice President; Jeff Waugh – Area Manager and Safety Committee Member; Wolf Hopen – San Bernardino Area Sales Manager; Daniel Gonzalez – San Bernardino Recruiter; Toby Copeland – CA Area Manager; Jamie Ellis – Senior Safety Manager]

The San Bernardino office completed 2019 with ZERO injuries and an overall internal audit score of 96%. A huge congratulations goes out to Wolf and Daniel for a job well done! Trillium takes safety seriously on and off the job site and we are more than proud of the work this team has been able to accomplish over the past year. Here’s to a fantastic 2019 and to keeping it up throughout 2020!

[Pictured above: Chad Riphenburg left, Gary Englert right]

Chad started his career with Trillium in 1992 as a Concrete Laborer. In addition, during the winter months, Chad would also perform HVAC duct work installation to expand his skill set. His incredible mechanical aptitude during this time lead to an easy transition to the electrical trade. Today, Chad is an extremely competent Commercial Electrician that the Eau Claire office is lucky to have as a part of their team.

“I can’t say enough nice things about him,” stated Gary Englert, Trillium Construction Selling Branch Manager for the Eau Claire office. “He’s always willing to give 110% and is very safety conscious and is a consummate team player. Chad is an individual that I have no difficulty keeping busy. In fact, when he’s wrapping up an assignment, I always have a handful of clients that are more than willing and eager to put him back to work. Chad’s prophetic words that I hear so often, ‘If it’s got to be, It’s up to me,’ reflects perfectly how he lives his life. We are truly blessed to have Chad working for Trillium.”

In appreciation of Chad’s loyalty and hard work, he will be receiving a VISA gift card, Trillium jacket, an award, and lunch with our team. Congratulations on a job well done, we look forward to continuing to watch your career grow with us!

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Technical, and Trillium Environmental. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 35th Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2018 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

Looking for a reason to give the construction industry another look? Check out this list of 12 high paying construction jobs according to Indeed.com.

1. Heavy Equipment Operator – National average salary of $19.90 per hour
2. Mason  – National Average salary of $19.93 per hour
3. Ironworker – National Average salary of $20.09 per hour
4. Construction Inspector – National Average salary of $23.97 per hour
5. Plumber – National Average salary of $25.07 per hour
6. Electrician – National Average salary of $25.26 per hour
7. Building Engineer – National Average salary of $25.71 per hour
8. Pipefitter – National Average salary of $26.71 per hour
9. Boilermaker – National Average salary of $31.59 per hour
10. Construction Manager – National Average salary of $76,326 per year
11. Civil Engineer – National Average salary of $79,496 per year
12. Construction Superintendent – National Average salary of $85,320 per year

Interested in learning more about any of these positions? Check out Indeed’s site to get an idea of what it would take to start a career in the construction industry. Also, check out the wide array of construction opportunities that Trillium has available across the country at www.trilliumjobs.com.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

“As the years go on, we continue to owe our growth and success to the over 400 internal staff working across the country. Their dedication to attracting, identifying, and recruiting some of the best candidates in each line of work is what sets us apart from our competitors,” states René Poch, CEO.

Trillium follows a partnership approach by connecting high quality talent to compelling careers within diverse national markets. They achieve this through professionalism, honesty, and integrity as a recognized leader in the staffing and recruitment industry.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

In short, this could simply mean that while record growth within the construction industry is starting to plateau, spending and activity related to projects are most likely going to stay constant through 2019 with very minimal increases in overall spending. However, there are still some key factors that indicate a change is on the horizon. Based on past events with a similarly strong economy, this level of growth and spending is simply not sustainable over a long period of time.

Chief Economist and VP of Dodge Data & Analytics, Robert Murray, believes that a even if the construction industry sees a decrease in activity that doesn’t necessarily mean that the overall state will suffer a decline. It is his belief that overall value and spending on construction starts will achieve a “deceleration…the enhanced level of activity that has been achieved over the past several years.” In essence, the construction industry may fall back to where spending and activity was at its most profitable and sustainable over the past few years; a decline but not drastic.

However, according to Cristian deRitis, the Senior Director of Moody’s Analytics, the biggest red flag indicating an economic decline is the steady but low unemployment rate. Cristian argues that, historically, “any time unemployment hovers around 4.5%, recession comes about three years later.” And, in fact, ever since March of 2018, the unemployment rate has been steadily dropping. With this information in mind, according to Moody’s Analytics and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this could mean that the economy is due for a recession next summer.

In addition, it is no surprise that the desperate demand for a skilled workforce is effecting the overall health of the construction industry. In a recent survey performed by the Associated General Contractors of America and Autodesk, 81% of those surveyed said they are having a hard time filling craft positions and 56% said the same thing about salaried positions. Where a small number of contractors are attempting to sustain through the labor shortage, the overall problem is that economists agree that is a problem that isn’t going away overnight. Only time will tell how much the construction industry will be able to retain this level of productivity through a long-term labor shortage and consistent low unemployment rates. However, all signs seem to point to 2019 remaining steady and profitable.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, Trillium Hospitality and Trillium Techs. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

But don’t take my word for it! Check out these stats to see just how important referrals can be to your bottom line!

• Customers are 4x more likely to buy when referred by a friend. (Source – Neilsen)

• 43% of consumers are more likely to buy a new product when learning about it from friends on social media. (Source – Neilsen)

• About 47% of top performers ask for referrals consistently, versus only 26% of non-top performers. (Source – HubSpot)

• 73% of executives prefer to work with sales professionals referred by someone they know. (Source – IDC)

• 32% of buyers post a review on social media. (Source – Avande)

Now, what does all of this mean? Plainly, referrals should never be a last resort. If you are a Recruiter who has a group of hardworking individuals you know you can count on, chances are they know people! These connections can, in turn, result in increasing your pipeline and filling orders. On the other side; if you are a Sales Professional seeking out your next lead, look to your current book of business, first. If you’re providing an exceptional sales and customer service experience to your current clients, they will be much more inclined to spread the word and provide valuable FREE promotion on your behalf!

Simply put, as long as you are continuing to offer a valuable service or product to your current customers, clients, candidates, etc.; the availability of relevant leads through referrals will always be at your fingertips. It is up to you to take advantage of these resources before someone else does!

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, Trillium Hospitality and Trillium Techs. With approximately 100 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

What is our best line of defense right now, in the middle of the chaos? Simple, across the board, the average hourly earnings in the construction industry are higher than the average of all private sector positions (excluding farming) by over 10%! Not to mention that a large majority of construction trades do not require a college degree, this should be a fairly easy sell, right? Unfortunately, that is proving to not be the case.

The conversation regarding skilled trades opportunities has to start before today’s youth hits the workforce. This information needs to be getting in front of parents, guidance counselors, educational leaders, and the students themselves at a younger age. There seems to be a miss-conception and stigma attached to positions in the construction industry, that they may not be able to make a living wage. This couldn’t farther from the truth as James Haas, a learning coordinator with Capital Region Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) reiterates.

“We’ve got to get mom and dad, we’ve got to get the guidance counselors, we’ve got to get the kids to understand that it’s not always a baccalaureate degree (that’s necessary),” Haas said. “Laborers are making real, living wages, that have good benefits, that have a Monday through Friday work schedule. And they’re probably making $1500 a week.”

BOCES has been partnering with school districts for over 70 years in an attempt to better garner and promote evolving and necessary educational programs. For more information on how you or school district can get involved with BOCES, please visit their website at www.boces.org.

This could and should be powerful information that needs to be getting in front of families and educational institutions. We all need to keep in mind that the shortage of workers in the skilled trades industry ultimately can affect everyone in the economy. The shortage can lead to public and private sector construction projects taking longer, costing more money and in the end stunting overall economic growth. It is up to all of us, including our educational system to once again get students excited about the skilled trades industry. There are and will continue to be excellent skilled trades opportunities out there, just waiting for the next generation to step in and take the charge.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, Trillium Hospitality and Trillium Techs. With approximately 98 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

In fact, according to a recent report released by NPR, there are as many as 30 million high paying skilled trades positions currently available and the kicker, a lot of them DON’T require a college degree! Even with these staggering statistics, thehustle.co reports that high school graduates are still opting to go the 4 year college route, which over the next 5 years could result in 68% more opportunities in infrastructure being available.

So what type of positions are we talking about here? Well, according to the US Department of Education, the 30 million available jobs average an annual salary of $55k, and that is without a bachelor’s degree. The key point to remember here is that although a bachelor’s degree may ultimately provide a higher salary than a high school diploma alone, the same can not necessarily be said for someone going to a trades school. Another huge point in the skilled trades favor is simple. On average, the typical trade school graduate is able to pay off their school debt 1-3 years earlier and start off with higher salaries in comparison to those who receive a 4 year liberal arts degree. Who wouldn’t love that?

We aren’t saying that the skilled trades is right for everyone or that you should forget your dream of becoming a Doctor or Biologist. However, if you are someone who may be on the fence about what you want to do for a career, just take a look at your local trades school and see what they are offering. You might be surprised at what your options could be!

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.

• Continued Labor Shortages: Construction companies across the country have felt the sting of skilled labor shortages over the past few years. While researchers and economists have continued to see a slow uptick in the number of construction industry jobs added each year, we still fall short of the 336,000 jobs that were added in 2015 (210,000 were added in 2017 for comparison). With this said, a recent survey by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) shows that 75% of firms surveyed are planning to add to their workforce in 2018. While that seems promising, 78% of those companies also have been experiencing difficulties in locating talent and expect the issues to continue.
• Offsite Construction: Just as the trend of modular and prefabrication as a construction method seemed to be diminishing, it has gained steam over the last couple of years and it is expected to continue to do so. For companies that use offsite construction, the benefits are making the transition easier to handle. Having the ability to build and construct buildings in a controlled environment enables companies to work year-round without weather being a factor and creates a safer working environment for their employees. Just one example of this trend is Marriott, the hotel giant, committed to having 13% of all hotels be built using offsite construction methods in 2018.
• Technology: While the construction industry has been slow in adopting technological advances, it appears that the companies who have started to embrace technology are really seeing the benefits. From using robotic equipment on job sites, drones being used to perform land surveys, and even construction based software to help interpret and visualize projects, technology is beginning to make its presence known all over the construction industry landscape.
• Sustainability: The trend of sustainability far out reaches just the construction industry. Everywhere you look these days, companies are looking to become more environmentally responsible and reduce their overall carbon footprint. This concept is no different in the construction industry. From introducing green components to a project’s scope and increasing policies regarding recycling construction waste, the sustainability trend doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.
• Subdued Growth: While forecast models do not show any exponential growth in 2018, models indicate that spending and starts will remain strong throughout the year. ConstructConnect’s construction starts forecast for 2018 is a 4.8% increase to $773.1 billion. Commercial construction (offices, parking garages and transportation terminals) is expected to have a 12.4% increase in starts next year with conservative growth out through 2021. ConstructConnect’s forecast for total construction spending is expected to increase 5.6% to $1,301.3 billion in 2018. Total nonresidential construction is expected to grow 3.9% to $737.2 billion and total residential is forecast to increase 7.8% to $564.1 billion.

For more information regarding commercial construction trends and what to expect as we navigate 2018, please visit www.constructconnect.com.

The Trillium brand of companies is privately owned by René Poch and provides more than 30 years of industry leading recruitment and staffing services through its divisions including: Trillium Staffing, Trillium Construction Services, Trillium Driver Solutions, Trillium Marine, Trillium Technical, Trillium Environmental, and Trillium Techs. With approximately 90 offices nationwide and nearly 400 internal recruitment professionals, the Trillium brand is proud to be recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as a Top 25 Largest Industrial Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Largest Staffing Firm in the U.S., a Top 100 Fastest Growing Staffing Firm in the U.S., and a 2015 winner of National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. For more information please visit www.trilliumstaffing.com.