Recruitment Adjustments to Help Meet Contractor Needs

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Recruitment Adjustments to Help Meet Contractor Workforce Needs

By: Marie Thornton, IEC Atlanta/GA Membership and Marketing Coordinator

IEC has a new strategy for recruiting workers that moves away from quantity to pre-qualified workers.  The goal is a candidate that is motivated, dependable, ready to learn and ready to work. 

On the path to accomplish this, one source for workers is to work with the US Department of Veteran Affairs.  According to VA representative Bartholomew Huff, there are 25 to 30 veterans weekly looking for employment.  This is a great opportunity to help a veteran and gain a good worker because Veterans generally are considered to be dependable with a high work ethic.  Hiring a veteran also can come with tax credits up to $9,600 over a year and assistance by subsidizing salary to help maintain a competitive salary for veterans in a competitive market.  For a statewide list of veterans offices click here or contact delast.muhammad@iecatlantaga.org.

Another Veteran related program is VECTR, (GA Veterans Education Career Transition Resource Center) currently in Warner Robbins, GA.  This program is an electrical pre-apprentice program for active duty military personnel, which prepares them to begin a career in the electrical industry.  Again you find dedicated workers being processed through a channel that prepares and feeds candidates into the electrical industry.  To find a graduate of this program contact Cole Ross at 478-218-3914.

Also IEC is implementing its New Worker Training Program as another step for applicants interested in working with an IEC Contractor.  Applicants learn tool and material safety, tool use and everything needed to hit the ground running on day one of their new job.  This program is for applicants, as well as IEC contractor’s employees that would like to prep more before allowing them to enter the field unprepared.  IEC can send a trainer to the contractor’s site, have new workers attend at our training facility, or contractors can subscribe to the module and train their own workers onsite.  The first of graduates from this program will be at IEC’s March 5th job fair.  Contact Delast.Muhammad@iecatlantaga.org to RSVP.

IEC continues to work with CEFGA, (the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia) and other vetted agencies to recruit quality workers.  CEFGA has the Construction Ready Program which is a “four-week boot camp style training program designed for residents of metro Atlanta.”  Construction Ready has helped train and place over 1,000 graduates into full-time construction careers.  Candidates pursuing the electrical field coming from Construction Ready can become valuable employees.

The key here is that there is no one way to find the best worker, there are many paths to take as IEC takes on this task.  IEC does so with these goals in mind, providing the resources to help IEC contractors meet their needs and exceed their business objectives.   IEC will continue to seek out and offer candidates from pre-qualified worker programs, as these programs are just the start.  Contact Delast.Muhammad@iecatlantaga.org for any assistance.