The staffing industry has always been an instrumental resource in coordinating relief efforts and providing skilled labor in time of crisis. Over the last decade events such as Hurricane Katrina, the gulf oil spill, Hurricane Irene, and most recently, super storm Sandy have caused extensive damage. The devastating effects of these natural disasters can wreak havoc on regions and it’s important for us to understand the opportunity the staffing industry has to assist in the recovery.
It is estimated that Sandy caused $60 billion in property damage, resulting in the government awarding more than $180 million in new contracts. This is where an opportunity is formed not just to rebuild what was damaged, but to redesign structures to be more efficient and durable. As an engineering and construction staffing provider, we have learned a valuable lesson with regards to disaster relief — namely how imperative it is to have a constantly expanding pipeline of available candidates to assist in these relief efforts.
Over the last few weeks we have seen a tremendous influx of architectural design, skilled trade, construction management and a multitude of positions from companies specializing in the manufacturing of building materials. The one major difference in these roles versus the ones we typically recruit for is the across the board urgency clients are showing in hiring qualified candidates. Rebuilding efforts require that we be able to provide our clients with great candidates quickly.
If there is one positive to be taken from unfortunate events such as Sandy, it is the volume of new jobs that are created, both contingent and permanent. Our industry has a great opportunity to help people in need while providing a much needed boost to the economy. After seeing first hand how difficult it is just to be without power and a hot shower for a week, we are humbled and excited to be able to assist those impacted more severely.
We’re both extremely proud to be part of this industry, especially in times like this.
This post was co-written by David Darby.
