With the economy in the United States on the rebound, truss designers are in unusually high demand. Unlike other professionals in the building industry, a truss designer is not required (at present) to have any formal education or any type of college degree. Fact is, there is presently nowhere...

There are so many challenges leaders face within our industry today that are ever-changing and, quite frankly, unprecedented. Whether your position of leadership is overall, departmental, or team level, the challenges are never-ending. Too often in our industry, people are in a position of...

Today, thoughts of working on a modular home factory production line isn’t the job many younger Americans want to grow old in. They also do not want to work in many other jobs where “hustle” is a requirement, like restaurants or construction. About 6% of the population or...

While the biggest question about preferences in our industry isn’t about which calculator truss designers prefer, this month’s topic is just that. Over the past 20+ years, JobLine has run a survey asking Truss Designers what their calculator of choice is. While there are many...

After the 2020 recruiting season just about came to a stop in March, I saw a ray of hope early in November. While I hoped to see the usual limited activity before the holidays, I wasn’t holding my breath. Instead, it came in the form of a tsunami. The first week of November was refreshing,...

The construction industry in the US is facing a shortage of skilled trade laborers but many off-site housing factories are overlooking the opportunity women can bring to the table. The current skilled labor shortage is due to several factors, including the emphasis on getting a four-year...

Recruiting production managers is a huge challenge. It’s not that jobs are unavailable, as we usually have several Production Manager openings at TheJobLine.com. It’s finding qualified and willing candidates. Most often, it’s a problem when the move is lateral.  Most...

Back when I was a production worker, in an offsite construction plant, my “Boss” was the Department Supervisor or “Lead Man.” His boss was the Production Manager. The Big Boss was the owner. Simple, clean, easy to understand, until something goes wrong, or you need...

Recently, there was an article in another publication that talked about workforce resources for members of the structural building components industry. The article included the typical, nationally recognized companies—Indeed, Glass Door, Monster, Zip Recruiter, CareerBuilder, and even...

Over the past few years, remote designers have taken a more prominent seat at the table. Now, it is almost impossible to find a candidate who has the qualifications and fit for your team AND will relocate. Over the years, after WWII and up to the Great Recession, relocation was a tool...