CEO of The Birmingham Group, Brian Binke, Featured in CBS News

10/24/2017: Homeowners rebuilding after hurricanes in Florida and Texas and wildfires in California will face longer wait times and higher costs as a long-simmering shortage of construction workers nears a crisis stage.

The number of unfilled construction jobs has reached its highest point since 2007, before the Great Recession, and it’s likely to spike even higher in the months ahead in the wake of hurricanes Harvey and Irma, said Robert Dietz, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders.

A tougher government stance on immigrant labor is a factor in the shortage of qualified workers, but Brian Binke, president and CEO of Detroit-based construction-industry recruiter The Birmingham Group, sees the U.S. education system as a more important culprit.

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CEO of The Birmingham Group, Brian Binke, Authored “How to Develop and Train the Workforce Needed to Rebuild America” Featured in Construction Today

10/17/2017: The United States is in need of a labor workforce that will bring back a strong middle-class. Collaborations between government and business can help create these opportunities. Hundreds of thousands of these skilled-trade jobs are already in demand and are going unfilled. These $20 to $45 an hour jobs are left unfilled because we don’t have the skilled workers prepared for the positions. Filling these positions will benefit millions of Americans in low-paying jobs and lift many out of poverty. Here are some ways that we can build a strong skilled labor force.

Middle School Classes

Shop class can be a great opportunity to introduce young people to working with their hands. When I was in school, it was mandatory to take two years of shop class. I remember two particular projects in my shop class. The assignments were to make a wooden fish and a trivet. The fish started out as a 2×4. We were given long metal stripping, grout, and a bunch of small tiles to make the trivet. We had access to all kinds of machines to cut, grind, bend, sand and paint. There were students who ended up with a fish that looked better than ones you may see at an art fair. I ended up with a fish that looked more like a deformed dog. And the trivet wasn’t level enough to keep a pot from falling off! Today, there are many school districts that do not even offer these types of classes.

Thankfully there are individuals who love to use their hands and become highly skilled at a trade. For many, this love of working with their hands begins in middle school shop class.

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Brian Binke, CEO of The Birmingham Group, Authored “Solving the Skilled Labor Shortage in Construction” Featured in Construction Today

10/4/2017: The construction industry continues to experience a labor shortage within all areas of the market; yet companies are optimistic about that changing in the future because of actions that they’re taking now. What are they doing to improve the pipeline of skilled construction workers entering the market? And what more can be done to improve the pipeline going forward?

Allocating Funds

One suggestion would be for the government to take a portion of the money they dedicate to four-year colleges and put those funds towards getting more people enrolled in trade schools. Everyone may not be cut out for college, but could excel at a skilled trade. So, the more effort and collaboration that’s made between government, businesses, and the education system the better. With more collaboration, we will see more success with students completing skilled trade programs in community colleges and trade schools.

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The Birmingham Group Has Been Named Among Metro Detroit’s Best and Brightest Companies To Work For

The Birmingham Group (thebirmgroup.com), announced today that it has been recognized as being one of Metro Detroit’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For.

“The Best and Brightest Companies to Work for delivers this award to companies that distinguish themselves as having the most ground-breaking and thoughtful human resources approach. To be presented with this honor says so much about our company’s culture, the work environment that we strive to create for our employees, and most importantly, our ability to attract and retain winning team members that are integral to our success. We are so honored to have earned this prestigious award once again,” says Brian Binke, President and CEO of The Birmingham Group.

The Birmingham Group is pleased to receive this outstanding recognition once again. With hundreds of companies to choose from, The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® competition identifies and honors companies that deliver exceptional human resource practices and an impressive commitment to their employees. Organizations are assessed based on categories such as communication, work-life balance, employee education, diversity, recognition, retention and more.

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CEO of The Birmingham Group, Brian Binke, Featured in The Wall Street Journal

Great networkers are made, not born.

7/11/2017: Pradeep Aradhya, 48, a Boston business owner and investor, saw himself as an introvert for years, but learned to network after realizing it was essential to his success. He’s now seen by colleagues, business partners and friends as a master.

You may be getting cut during first-round screenings by human-resources staffers checking boxes for a few basic criteria, says Brian Binke, president of Birmingham Group, a Berkley, Mich., affiliate of the Sanford Rose Associates executive-search network. Consider researching the company, preparing a few succinct points to show why you’re a good fit and calling the hiring manager directly. Then ask politely for a chance to make your case.

View full article – https://www.wsj.com/articles/from-wallflower-to-expert-networker-1499787442

8 Ways To Make a Great First Impression During A Job Interview – Brian Binke Featured in Fast Company

6/22/2017: Forming a first impression of someone takes seconds, and that can feel impossible to nail when you’re in a job interview. Luckily, most hiring managers take more time to form their opinion. A study published in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology found that the first 15 minutes are when an impression is made during an interview, and that’s enough time to connect and sell yourself.

Before going to the interview, review your career and list your major accomplishments, says Brian Binke, president and CEO of The Birmingham Group, a recruiting firm. Be specific about areas where you were able to save or make the company money… View Full Article »

What Trump’s First 100 Days in Office Mean for Business Owners – Brian Binke Featured in American Express

6/2/2017: You may have heard a lot of talk about President Trump’s first 100 days in office. But what does it all mean for your business? Nobody has a working crystal ball, but business owners and experts are trying to make sense of how the first three months might affect the next four years.
In these times, there’s no doubt that the billionaire entrepreneur has made decisions that will affect companies. So here’s a look at a few of the big moments of the last 100 days—and how it may affect business going forward.
Brian Binke, CEO of The Birmingham Group, a Detroit-based executive recruiting firm that specializes in the construction industry, believes premiums will come down if the Affordable Care Act disappears.
“I’ve found that very few companies in America use Obamacare for their employee’s healthcare insurance,” he says…. View Full Article »

8/7/2017: Brian Binke, CEO of The Birmingham Group – A member of the Sanford Rose Associates® network of offices, Featured in GuruFocus, Unemployment Rate Ticks Downward in July

By: David Goodloe

More often than not this year, economists’ expectations of job creation and the monthly unemployment rate have been too high – and, in part, July was no exception.

Economists expected the unemployment rate to drop from 4.4% to 4.3%, a 16-year low, and they were right about that, but they missed the boat on job creation. Employers created 209,000 jobs in July, beating expectations by 26,000.

”This is an excellent job report for July,” said Brian Binke, principal at Berkley, Michigan-based Birmingham Group/Sanford Rose Associates, one of the largest recruiting firms/networks in the U.S. ”Every sector had gains in employment.”

Read More: https://www.gurufocus.com/news/550589/unemployment-rate-ticks-downward-in-july

The Birmingham Group President / CEO Named Worldwide Billing Manager of the Year

(Philadelphia, February 2013) – Brian Binke, President / CEO The Birmingham Group, was recently named the 2012 Worldwide Billing Manager of the Year by MRINetwork, one of the world’s largest search and recruitment organizations. Opened in 1967, The Birmingham Group is one of nearly 700 affiliate offices of… View Full Article »

The Birmingham Group President / CEO Brian Binke Featured on Next Level Exchange.

Trends in the Construction Industry

09/25/2013: Thoughts on the construction industry and how things have changed in the last 5 to 7 yearsBetween 2005 and 2007 the construction industry was booming. Retail was strong among big box retailers like Home Depot and Walmart. The building of high-rise, multi-family units was also strong. There were so many construction pro… View Full Article »

5 Quick Questions: Attracting & Retaining Quality Manufacturing Workers

8/26/2013: According to one global recruitment specialist, the best in the labor pool are looking for more than just money. It’s no secret that one of the most pressing issues facing U.S. manufacturing is a lack of qualified workers. In looking to fill this skills gap, Brian Binke, the President & CEO of The Birmingham… View Full Article »

The Birmingham Group’s Expansion Provides More Opportunities for Job Candidates

Bingham Farms, MI (PRWEB) July 23, 2013 Job seekers will now be able to access even more local employment opportunities, thanks to expanded resources provided by The Birmingham Group (TBG), an affiliate of MRINetwork, one of the world’s largest executive search and recruitment organizations. TBG just purchased the… View Full Article »