Employment Opportunity: Sales Assistant and Office Manager

You Home Builders Association of Greenville has an opening on its staff for a Sales Assistant and Office Manager.  The position is full-time and offers a competitive wage and benefits including retirement, generous leave, long-term disability insurance, and a wellness program that includes a monthly stipend for health insurance premiums.  Applicants must be able to work occasional evenings and weekends.  Interested applicants should email their resume and statement of interest to Crystal Yanes, Chief Operating Officer, at CYanes@HBAofGreenville.com.

Governor McMaster proclaims October Careers in Construction Month

Governor Henry McMaster

Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed October Careers in Construction Month.  In his proclamation, Governor McMaster states:

• South Carolina has nearly 60,000 vacancies in construction jobs
• South Carolina has los 26.8 percent of residential construction jobs
• 82 percent of construction companies regularly have jobs they are unable to fill
• 24,000 new construction workers are needed to meet South Carolina's current building needs

Job Posting: Construction Manager

Hartness Development, Inc.

Hartness Development, Inc. (HDI) is seeking a self-motivated, high energy and team-oriented Construction Manager to assist in the creation of Hartness, a 440 acre master-planned Traditional Neighborhood Development located in Greenville, South Carolina. This walkable community will consist of more than 600 homes in a variety of architectural styles and types, a 180-acre nature preserve, and a quaint village center with restaurants, retail shops, offices, and civic spaces.

HDI has compiled an exclusive group of local custom home builders to build the majority of the single-family detached homes at Hartness.  However, HDI will build, or hire contractors to build, a variety of single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums, mixed-use commercial buildings, and community amenities.

Job responsibilities will include, but will not not be limited to:

• Work with the HDI team to plan and manage light commercial and residential construction projects from start to finish
• Collaborate with architects, designers, engineers, general contractors, and other construction industry professionals
• Manage the Hartness builder group
• Create and manage standard residential building specifications
• Administer residential design and construction guidelines
• Support the architectural review process
• Prepare and negotiate cost estimates, budgets, and work timetables
• Select appropriate construction methods and strategies
• Interpret and explain contracts and technical information
• Select, hire, and instruct material suppliers and contractors
• Supervise construction personnel and activities onsite
• Report on work progress and budget matters

Education Requirements: Associate or Bachelor’s degree in construction science, construction management, architecture, or engineering (or qualifying work experience in one or more of these fields).

Work Experience: 10 years minimum experience in light commercial and residential construction.

Professional Licensing: South Carolina Residential Builder (or have qualifications for licensing); South Carolina General Contractor (or have qualifications for licensing).

Interested applicants, contact Clay Driggers, Director of Development, Hartness Development, Inc., 3500 S. Highway 14,Greenville, SC 29615. 864-304-0472. clay@hartnessliving.com.

Habitat for Humanity- needs Director of Construction

Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County is looking for a Director of Construction. Below is the full job description. If you would like to apply please visit their website at  http://www.habitatgreenville.org/.

Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County
Director of Construction

Job Title:             Director of Construction

Reports To:         Vice President of Operations

FLSA Status:       Exempt

Summary:  Plans, directs, and oversees all aspects of the construction, repair, weatherization, and rehabilitation of homes. Ensures that all construction volunteers have a safe, productive, and positive experience. Ensures that all affiliate construction activity takes place in a safe manner. Provides leadership and direction to Construction Department staff and volunteers.

Duties & Responsibilities
Other duties may be assigned.

1.       Ensures that all affiliate construction activity takes place in a safe manner, consistent with affiliate safety policies and procedures

2.       Participates in review of affiliate safety policies and procedures

3.       Plans the execution of the annual build schedule, as set by affiliate, and tracks progress of each project

4.       Prepares sites for construction

5.       Ensures that all construction volunteers have a safe, productive, and positive experience with HFHGC

6.       Creates purchase orders for all HFHGC construction projects and utilizes QuickBooks to track all job costs

7.       Plans and coordinates effective and efficient use of construction gifts-in-kind and ensures each is communicated to Development and Finance departments

8.       Continually updates and perfects accuracy of material takeoffs  

9.       Ensures that all relevant code requirements by governing bodies are met or exceeded, including Energy Star and other applicable green building standards

10.   Ensures necessary equipment, supplies and vehicles are purchased, inventoried and maintained

11.   Ensures that homeowner orientations and first and second pre-closing homeowner walkthroughs are performed with each Partner Family and ensures that home maintenance and landscaping classes are taught effectively by Construction staff or volunteer(s)    

12.   Develops, implements, and improves as necessary the contractual procedures for HFHGC subcontractors

13.   Develops and manages the Construction Department budget

14.   Ensures compliance with housing and urban development funding source requirements

15.   Regularly solicits bids from all subcontractors and suppliers in order to maintain the best prices possible for the affiliate

16.   Ensures that all subcontractors that perform construction work for HFHGC meet standards set by policy (have necessary licenses and the required amount of liability insurance and workers comp coverage, etc.)

17.   Assists Family Services Director in addressing warranty issues and processes

18.   Follows-up with homeowners one year after move-in to follow-up on warrantable items

19.   Maintains and routinely updates HFHGC Construction Manual 

20.   Works with Finance Department in solving outstanding and disputed invoices

21.   Manages maintenance of HFHGC office and maintenance of HFHGC properties – including vacant lots, vacant houses. Ensures code violations do not take place

22.   Assesses build-ability of potential lots and assists with land acquisition, as directed

23.   Manages the inspection of homeowner insurance claims, as needed

24.   Manages the estimating, planning, and execution of repair, rehab, and weatherization projects within each project’s respective budget and on schedule  

25.   Leads in the development of new house designs, construction processes, and systems for quality control

26.   Completes necessary CEPSCI erosion control inspections (holds CEPSCI credentials or is willing and able to get certified)

Supervisory Responsibilities:

1. Supervises the Construction Department staff, Quality Assurance Team members, Task Leaders, and all other construction volunteers

2.       All affiliate construction takes place under Director of Construction’s builder’s license

3.       Plans and supervises the purchasing of construction materials

4.       Manages and supervises subcontractors and supplier relationships

Qualifications

1.       Associate’s degree (A.A.) or equivalent from two-year college or technical school; or four to six years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

2.       Must be a licensed builder in the state of South Carolina.

Other

·         The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to fifty pounds. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, and walk. The employee is frequently required to use hands; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; and talk or hear.

·         Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Habitat for Humanity is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, or disability.

Construction employment has not kept pace with construction growth

Part of the reason employment growth is so weak is that despite sizable increases in residential construction spending, increases in construction employment have been MIA. From April 2012 to April 2013, residential construction put-in-place increased from $249 billion to $295 billion, an 18% rise. However, during the same period, the number of residential building employees and residential specialty trade contractors rose from 2,048,100 to 2,131,800 or by just 4%!

Elliot F. Eisenberg, Ph.D.
GraphsandLaughs, LLC
elliot@graphsandlaughs.net

Emerging Workforce Stats

According to XYZ University, a demographics consulting firm specializing in organizational dynamics, the U.S. Workforce will change in significant ways in the next five years:

• By 2015, Generation Y (born since 1982) will out number Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) in the workforce.
• On average, 10,000 Baby Boomers retire each day.
• Generation X (born between 1965 and 1982) will make up 65 percent of the workforce by 2020.
• 70 percent of college grads leave their first job within two years.
• 75 percent of employed Americans are looking for a job.
• One in three college students and young professionals under the age of 30 prioritize social media freedom over salary in accepting a job offer.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a shortage of 10 million workers due to the retirement of Baby Boomers.

South Carolina Automotive Employment Up

According to a report by GSA Business, automotive employment in South Carolina is up 11.3 percent in the last year, and is back to pre-recession levels.  The majority of automotive jobs a clustered in the Upstate.  Current automotive employment in South Carolina is 31,600 jobs.  Read the complete report at GSA Business by clicking here.

Forbes: Greenville tied for first in best cities for job growth this Spring

A new report by Forbes finds that Greenville is the top city in the U.S. in expected job growth during the second quarter of 2012.

The finding is based on a survey of employers by ManpowerGroup.  According to the survey, the employment growth outlook for Greenville is impressive with 26 percent of area employers that expect to add jobs during the second quarter of 2012, compared with 2 percent that plan to reduce employment.  Greenvilled tied with Knoxville, TN, for the top spot in the report, followed by Syracuse, NY, Oklahoma City, OK, and Tulsa, OK.

Read the entire report at Forbes.com by clicking here.

Residential Construction Employment Rose in 2011

Source: Bureau of Labor and Statistics

For the first time since 2006, residential construction rose.  Employment in residential construction rose 46,000 jobs in 2011, and currently stands at 2.18 million jobs lower than its peak in 2006.  According to Calculated Risk, construction employment is still "mostly moving sideways, but at least it was not a drag on employment and GDP in 2011."


Read the full report at calcualtedriskblog.com by clicking here.

National Public Radio also provided good news about construction employment in a report they aired on January 6.

To read the report at NPR.org, click here.

Federal Reserve: South Carolina and Michigan have the best economic outlooks

According to a report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, South Carolina is one of two states that are expected to a growth rate of 4.5 percent or better in the Fed's coincident index, or gross state product, in the first six months of 2012.

Both South Carolina and Michigan top the Fed's list of prospects for rapid growth in the next few months.  Both state's have experienced significant improvements in employment.

The Greenville News reported on this story over the weekend.  Read their report at greenvilleonline.com by clicking here.

Employers: State law requires all new hires to be verified through E-Verify beginning January 1, 2012

In June Governor Nikki Haley signed into law amendments to the South Carolina Illegal Immigration and Reform Act.  The key change to the law requires all employers, beginning January 1, 2012, to verify the employment status of all new employees by using E-Verify.

E-Verify is an online system run by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  Employers using E-Verify are required to check the status of a newly hired employee within three business days of the employee's hire date.

Failure to comply with this new law will result in probation, suspension, or revocation of the employer's South Carolina business license.  Under South Carolina law, all private employers are imputed with a South Carolina employment license, or business license, which permits a private employer to employ a person in the state.  There is no action required on the part of the employer to receive the business license, but failure to comply with the South Carolina illegal immigration law could result in revocation of the license and termination of the business' ability to employee people.

Employers using E-Verify must apply to use the system, agree to its terms, and take an online study course and pass an online test before beginning to use the system.  The application and testing process takes about two hours.

Click here to log on to E-Verify and begin the process of complying with the law.

Click here for more information about South Carolina's Illegal Immigration and Reform Act.

Greenville News: Greenville's job market rated "favorable"

Employers in the Greenville-Mauldin-Easley metropolitan statistical area expect steady hiring in the fourth quarter, giving the regional a favorable job market stronger than much of the rest of the state.

Read the rest of the article in the Greenville News by clicking here.

Employment in Greenville Improving Faster than State, Nation

The employment forecast for the Greenville area is improving according to a report in the Greenville News. Economists see a developing trend where unemployment in Greenville County tracks below the state and national average in 2011.

According to Bruce Yandle, Clemson University Economist, "Greenville is already doing better than the state in the recovery."

According to the Greenville News, the county's jobless rate is at 8.7 percent, below the national rate of 9.3 percent and the state rate of 10.7 percent, and dramatic improvement over the county's 11 percent unemployment rate one year ago.

Economic development and job creation in the automotive sector is widely credited with the employment improvement in the Greenville area.

S.C. Construction Employment Expands in October

Employment in South Carolina’s hard hit construction industry is up slightly in October over September but still off from a year ago, according to data compiled by the Associated General Contractors of America.

According to the association, which received its information from the U.S. Department of Labor, there are 81,300 people working in the S.C. construction industry, up roughly 2,500 jobs, or 3.2%, over September. But construction employment remains below last year’s level, down 1,300, or 1.6%.

Read the entire report at GSA Business by clicking here.

Air Force Housing Project May Lead to Work Opportunity

South Carolina is fortunate to have a sizable residential construction project coming online in early 2011 at Shaw Air Force Base and Charleston Air Force Base. This is part of a large Federal contract for several Air Force Bases in southern states.

The contractor for the projects in South Carolina is Forrest City Military Communities LLC. The contractor for construction of the housing component is Hensel Phelps Construction (www.henselphelps.com). Hensel Phelps will handle on-site supervision of the home construction and plans to subcontract with framing, electrical, plumbing, landscape, and other companies to provide specialty contracting on the project.

This is an opportunity for HBA members to land new work.

In order to be a local subcontractor on this federal project, HBA members must:

-Demonstrate their expertise in performing the required work
-Be able to secure a 100% performance bond for the work they are bidding on
-Must have a track record of completing construction work on schedule.

The bonding requirement will be new to many HBA members. Your HBA has been advised that the bonding will be on the specialty work subcontracted to Hensel Phelps, and not on the value of the entire house. We also understand that this kind of bonding requires CPA certified financial statements when the amount of the performance bond exceeds $450,000. A list of bonding companies is available by contacting your HBA office.

The national contractors (Forrest City Military Communities and Hensel Phelps) will conduct an industry forum in South Carolina in November to identify potential subcontractors. A meeting notice will be sent to HBA members when the date is set. However, you do not need to wait for the industry forum to contact the contractors if you are interested in this work. Interest subcontractors may contact Hensel Phelps now.

If you are an HBA member and are interested in participating on this project and are able to meet the minimum requirements of the contractor listed above, call Jeff Schules with Hensel Phelps at 970-352-6565. You will be placed on a list of interested contractors and will be contacted when the contractor is ready to move forward. Of course you also may wait until the industry forum in November; both are acceptable.

Construction will begin in early spring.

Statewide Unemployment Rate Rises in August

According to a report by GSA Business, the unemployment rate in South Carolina rose o 11 percent in August, up .3 percent from July. However, the August 2010 unemployment rate is 1.1 percent lower than the same month last year. The unemployment rate for Greenville County was 9.9 percent and 10.8 percent for Pickens County.

Read the entire article at GSABusiness.com.