Can't find good help-?

[KevinA]

Just wondering if anyone else is experiencing this. I'm looking to hire field technicians for construction materials testing and special inspections (CMT/SI)- concrete, soils, masonry, steel, etc. No degree needed, but need to find folks with ACI and ICC certs. I've had ads posted for over a month in the typical places- careerbuilder, indeed, craigslist, and even have a couple headhunters looking for us.

I've only seen 3 resumes so far that I would even consider, and they don't really have the background and certs I'm looking for. They have roadway experience, which is great, but I'm looking more for vertical experience. We'd have to train and get them certified, which may be fine for the right candidate and we are considering that while we keep looking.

I also posted an ad on the local community college website, where they have a 2-year civil technology program. I later followed up with the department head for that program and he offered some interesting insight. He said that when the economy tanked and particularly the construction industry was looking down, their enrollment numbers dropped drastically, such that they are only graduating 2 this spring. Students then were going into other fields. The incoming enrollments are better now, but it will take a while to cycle those students through.

Our company is also looking to hire recent civil grads with EI for land development / civil design. They are struggling to find good candidates as well. We suspect the enrollments dropped for those 4-year grads too, and there may just not be as many coming into the field.

We are seeing this across multiple office locations in NC and SC. Anybody else seeing this trend? Is there becoming a shortage in our field?

 

[Road Guy]

I think every time the residential construction market booms again it takes the field engineers and testing techs with them..

especially Atlanta has that Billion Dollar managed lanes construction project about to start and Florida just put out a $3 Billion dollar managed lanes design build job (& others) will be tough..

I konw a lot of people are filling those jobs with entry level engineers and getting them the certifications becasue they cant find folks...

 

[engineergurl]

My opinion? Right now, most field techs have been in the field too long. I apply for a tech position and they can't match the pay I require and expect me to travel way more than I think I should be doing 10 years into my career. Add that in to the fact that most kids want to go to college now days and don't realize you can actually make a decent living if you work hard... well there you go. Plus what RG said too.

 

[engineergurl]

by the way I have a 2-year civil tech degree among others as well as experience and would be happy to share my resume and give further insight off line if you want to pm me

 

[KevinA]

PM sent. Thanks!

One good thing about it is, if there is a shortage of folks like us in this field, then our own stock should go up, right? It should make us worth more $$!

 

[Peele1]

Try looking at the economics: supply vs. demand. If you can't get the supply, then it might help with providing the right incentives.

What is your current pay range listed?

What about benefits?

Since it looks like you are looking for someone who is a career-starter, then be sure to offer a generous work-life balance. (specifically: life, opportunities, challenges, and compensation).

 

[ALBin517]

I just finished my construction management grad program. My last required class had 5 students and that was a class only offered once per year.

 

[KevinA]

I just finished my construction management grad program. My last required class had 5 students and that was a class only offered once per year.

Wow. Kinda reinforces my thoughts.

Peele1- In our job ads, we don't list a specific pay range because the technicians qualifications can be all over the map. So we just say "competitive pay and excellent benefits".

If we had 2 candidates that had the same years of experience and say one had just his ACI concrete and a nuke gauge cert, and the other guy had those and all of his ICC certs and was a master of special inspections, we'd probably offer the 2nd guy something in the $20-23/hour range. The 1st guy, we'd probably offer something around $15/hour, but with the incentive that for each ICC cert they got would get them an additional $1/hr. These are just ballpark numbers and so much depends on the individual, but just to illustrate how different technicians with similar experience can be. Throw in a candidate that has a degree or a CWI, and adjust accordingly. It's hard to target a narrow pay range when the certifications are so critical to what we do and need.