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For those in the architecture, engineering and construction industry, this is a busy time of year! Companies rush to take advantage of the warm weather and strive to fill talent gaps in projects before the start of summer. Demand for quality construction professionals is already high and will continue to grow as more projects get underway.
What projects are you concerned about? Do not wait until your project is behind schedule, over budget and your employees are overworked and unhappy in their roles. Address the gaps now to avoid the high costs of unfilled positions. Let us connect you with the
skilled professionals needed to finish projects on time and under budget.
Contact us
to learn more about employee leasing and how our talent management solutions can help your business succeed!
Best wishes in all of your endeavors!
Katy Cook, CSP
Marketing Coordinator
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Once again, Spring has turned out to be an exciting season for RealStreet! While we are anxious to share good news, work is still in progress and we cannot make any announcements at this time. Rest assured, we will keep you in the loop!
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Examples of Recent Placements
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RealStreet Recently Hired...
- Owner's Representative
- Auto CAD Designer /Drafter
- Utilities Engineer
- Project Coordinators
- Writer/Editor/ Notetakers
- Project Coordinators / Administrative Assistants
- Document Control Technician
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- Mechanical Designer/Engineer
- Assistant Project Manager
- Architectural Historian
Architectural CAD Operator
- Project Coordinator
- Payroll Clerk
- Project Manager
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Do you have an open position?
Contact us
to learn how we can help!
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Interesting Industry Information
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How is the Overall Workforce?
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The U.S. Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes a "M
onthly Jobs Report"
soon after the beginning of each month. Each report describes the previous month's employment situation, based on data such as the number of jobs that were added to the economy and the unemployment rate. The US economy added 98,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate dropped slightly to 4.5%. For more information, check out the
BLS' interactive graphs.
Analysts had varying opinions about the BLS' findings. Many viewed the report negatively, focusing on unmet job growth expectations, marginal changes in unemployment and disappointments in the progress made by the Trump administration. Many others have a more optimistic view, pointing out how unemployment is at its lowest rate since before the recession, and both the number of job openings and wages are increasing.
As stated in a recent Bloomberg article, Ryan Sweet, an economist at Moody's Analytics Inc., since the trend in job growth remains solid and the overall economy is still doing well... the Fed is going to look past the March weakness" and continue planning for interest-rate increases later this year.
According to a recent Dodge Data & Analytics post, project starts within the construction industry increased 5% in March. Overall industry employment increased 2.6% from the previous month, as stated in a recent Construction Dive article. Furthermore, quarterly employment "was 29% higher in the first quarter of 2017 versus the first quarter of 2016". According to another Construction Dive article, this growth can be attributed to factors such as abnormally warm weather and numerous high profile project starts. Future growth looks promising, however, much of the anticipated work is dependent on government spending decisions.
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A recent
Willis Towers Watson survey of (C-suite construction executives from across the globe) pinpointed common threats to AEC organizations world-wide. Industry challenges include:
- Geopolitical Issues - primarily due to uncertainty of government support and financing, postponement and delays, changes in strategy, and commitment to project pipelines.
- Workforce Management - issues often stem from growing skills gaps, aging populations and disparate, complex labor laws.
- Cyber Threats - due in part from the industry's slow adoption of technology, insufficient employee training and the lack of risk management and cyber security strategies.
Cyber Security
While the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) communities are not facing the growing threat of cyber attacks alone, it is an industry that seems to be behind the curve regarding risk reduction. In a recent
Construction Dive article, Jonathan Gossels (president and CEO of
SystemExperts)
stated that construction firms tend to focus on the task at hand, not the potential threat of cyber attacks. As AEC firms become a bigger target for malicious attacks, actions will need to be taken to plan for and mitigate potential problems.
The article Cyber Security Risks of Collaboration in the Construction Industry, written by Scott Lyon and Kathryn Richter of Sedgwick LLP, and posted on UnitedConstractors.org, points out how individuals or entities "may seek access to the company's network to obtain proprietary information or trade secrets, for competitive advantage, information warfare, extortion/ransom, protest, financial gain or revenge". It provides a concise, yet informative look into cyber threats within the AEC industry, for example:
- 91% of cyber attacks begin with a spear phishing email
- 90% of cyber-espionage breaches capture trade secrets or proprietary information
The article also provides an approach to mitigate risk through the implementation of a cyber security program. The steps (which are explained in greater detail within the article) are to:
- Assess
- Prevent
- Train and Test
- Detect Intrusion
- Respond
It is also important to note, that while cyber security programs go a long way to reduce risk, they do not eliminate the threat altogether. Preparation - established with adequate controls, processes and training as well as continuous improvements to the processes and controls - is key to ensuring minimal impact in the event of a malicious attack.
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How to Make Contract Workers
Feel Like They are a Part of Your Team
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While contract employees sometimes only work for a company for a short time, such as for the duration of a project they are still a part of the team. Hired for a specific skill set, or to assist the permanent staff during a busy season, these individuals contribute a great deal to the company's success. Unfortunately, the roles often lack a sense of comradery and do not receive the respect they deserve.
Sometimes, this is due to an unspoken divide between full-time employees and contractors. As the boss, it is important to establish a culture of inclusion, to keep a watch for rifts of this nature (or otherwise) and to lead by example. If you treat temporary hires the same as every employee, your team is far more likely to follow suit.
Read the
full article for four tips to make contract workers feel like they are a part of the team!
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Is Your Team Working Outside?
Here are Four Tips to Beat the Heat
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We are well into Spring and temperatures are heating up. While many people enjoy working outside during the warmer months, outdoor environments come with a plethora of serious risks. In 2014 alone, 2,630 workers suffered from heat illness and 18 died from heat stroke and related causes, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Health hazards, such as heat illness, are entirely preventable. Take every necessary precaution to keep yourself and your team safe and protected from the elements.
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Feedback Wanted!
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We Value Referrals!
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Would you mind taking a moment to
Thank you!
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Who in your network is looking for a new opportunity?
Check our
open positions
to see if any of them are a match to the job seekers that you know. At RealStreet, we value great candidates and when it comes down to it, we know you're the Real Deal! We have a great referral program that compensates you for every qualified referral you provide us.
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