Heritage Square South Holds ‘Meet and Greet’ For Contractors As It Hires Local

Dozens of applicants turned out Wednesday, Sept. 14 for the Heritage Square South “Meet and Greet” event for contractors and job seekers at the Foothill Training Center.

According to local hiring coordinator Ron Carter, between 16 and 18 actively hiring employers were at the event to interview applicants, meeting at least 30 applicants.

Both Carter and Frank Marsala, State labor compliance officer on the Heritage Square South project, were reluctant to discuss the number of actual or projected hires, since the number won’t be known immediately, as applicants move through the hiring process.

As Marsala explained, many of the available jobs are specialized within various project stages.

“It is difficult to anticipate when openings become available,” he said, “because we’re talking about sustainability, from the induction until the onboarding through the placement on the project. So in terms of data, I could only refer to other projects and that’s not fair to this project.”

Marsala added that there are different phases to the construction process.

“A general contractor either is self-performing the trades, or outsourcing,” he said. “This particular project has individual subcontractors.”

According to Marsala many of the workers on the Heritage South Project are “specialty craftsmen” that are performing work on the project. In the construction schedule, subcontractor specialists in mechanical—usually HVAC specialists—or engineering or plumbing, may be on the project anywhere from one week to the length of the project.

“All of the trades tend to be on the project for a very short period of time,” he said. “So typically, a contractor is not signing a contract without already having an existing workforce to place on it. “

But Marsala also pointed out that with the requirements of the Heritage South project under “first source,” rules the contractors are advised up front prior to signing on to the project, that they need to create opportunities for Pasadena residents to work on the project.

“The whole purpose for being here today,” Marsala said, “ is to meet the public and to identify within the public who has the skill sets.”

Marsala explained, “There’re three types of workers. There’s skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled labor. Every one of those tiers has a placement on the project. But what the contractor’s looking for is for a craftsman who possesses the skill in, or skill set in the trade that’s being performed.”

“So what we’re doing,” he emphasized, is understanding those people from the public who are interested in the opportunity, and what skills they can bring to the table to help them with a placement on the project.”

Carter also added that the project will be holding two more similar “meet and greet” events in October and November.

For information about hiring, call (626) 345-1413, or email Ron Carter at tca@sbcglobal.net, or click here.