Trillium is excited to announce that the 2020 Employee of the Year has been chosen! Congratulations to John Cornwell with our Cleveland, OH construction office for being selected as the 2020 Employee of the year!
Trillium is excited to announce that the 2019 Employee of the Year has been chosen! Congratulations to Chad Riphenburg with our Eau Claire, WI construction office for being selected as the 2019 Employee of the year!
[Pictured above: Chad Riphenburg left, Gary Englert right]
I have written about it time and time again that the skilled trades industry is an excellent alternative to a formal 4 year education. There are more than enough various skills sets to gravitate towards and not only that but positions in the skilled trades and construction industries can be very lucrative when it comes to pay, benefits and opportunities available.
We may already be a quarter of the way through the new year but it is never to late to try and plan for what lies ahead. This is no different for the construction industry in 2019. However, a report released in late 2018 may, in fact, show a very minimal change in construction activity, only increasing in revenue by about $2 million from the previous year. So what does this mean?
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.
It is no surprise to anyone in the skilled trades industry that we are in the middle of a very serious and real labor shortage. In fact, according to timesunion.com, 80% of US based construction companies surveyed are experiencing problems in finding qualified workers, mainly hourly skilled trades workers. Just within the state of NY, 79% of companies stated having issues locating hourly workers, according to the Associated General Contractors of America;s 2018 Workforce Survey.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the construction industry will face a shortage of 1.6 million workers by 2022. So how did an industry that let go more than 2 million workers during the recession, well more than any other industry, end up in the talent struggle?
Currently, there is only one tradesman entering the workforce for every 5 that retire. With 73% of construction firms planning to expand their headcount throughout 2017, this leaves the industry in a continued shortage for qualified talent. The Associated General Contractors of America reported that construction firms added employees over the past year at nearly double the rate of the overall economy. In June alone, the industry added 16,000 jobs across the country.
Have you tried unsuccessfully to partner with traditional staffing agencies for your heavy industrial staffing needs? There are several factors that set heavy industrial staffing agencies apart from traditional staffing agencies.
Many light industrial staffing agencies recruit for positions such as welders, fabricators, and other semi-skilled positions. The majority of these positions are light in nature and require far less training and experience than skilled trades positions. Hiring unskilled workers for heavy industrial positions such as pipe fitters, pipe welders, industrial electricians, combo welders, and millwrights could result in losses and damages in the tens of thousands of dollars in as quickly as one day on the job. In addition to damaged materials, equipment, and loss of production, unskilled workers performing heavy industrial jobs are more likely to get injured on the job.
The processes, tools, and equipment involved in industrial construction projects can often result in serious injuries when duties are performed by unskilled workers. While the ability to get someone in place for the position faster by partnering with an existing partner may seem appealing, the consequences can be long term.
So how do you identify a skilled trades staffing agency or industrial staffing agency? Here are a few ways to identify a skilled trades recruiter:
Obtaining, running, and managing heavy industrial construction projects can be difficult enough with qualified and experienced industrial workers. Don’t chance your company’s reputation, financial state, and future with unskilled talent on the job.
Are you a stand out professional, technical professional, driver, or skilled worker seeking contingent, temporary, or long term career opportunities? Visit our job board for more information! Want to learn more about how you can gain access to Trillium’s national network of professionals and skilled workers? Contact us today!
Trillium, a national leader in staffing and recruitment is a valued staffing partner to over 22,000 companies nationwide. Trillium is privately owned by Oskar René Poch.