How to Hire a Home Performance Super Star: Best Practices for Building Your Home Performance Team October 4th, 2011 1:00 pm EST/ 10:00am PST Thank You Capitol Circle Sponsors Efficiency First-Members We record all of our webinars! This webinar will be available to view at: www.efficiencyfirst.org/webinars This webinar qualifies for up to 1.5 BPI CEUs We will download the official attendee report at the end of the webinar and email it to BPI. Participation is required to qualify for BPI CEUs. You will receive credit automatically . Please send all questions regarding CEUs to CEUs@BPI.org The Resource Center The Resource Center is a national not-for-profit organization formed to conduct research and education concerning the field of home energy performance. AGENDA I. Patch Garcia  Identify Hiring Needs  General Pre-Qualifying Considerations II. Tiger Adolf, BPI  Knowledge, Skills & Abilities at Various Levels III. Elena Foshay, Rising Sun Energy Center  General Pre-Qualifying Considerations  IV. Kif Scheuer, Strategic Energy Innovations  General Screening Considerations  V. Resources available: Hiring ToolKit Resources available: Resource Center’s Career Resources John Mello, Baltimore Green Careers  Training Programs & Employer Partnerships VI. Rob Minnick, Minnick’s Heating and Air  Perspective from a Maryland HVAC/HP Company Member Benefits • 2012 ACI Conference Discount: • Right Brain Branding: • Complimentary Web site performance review • $150 off the regular registration fee • $50 off the early-bird registration • EnergySavvy.com: • Electric and Gas Industries Association: • Until October 31, 2011: Free first-year membership, including discounts • After November 1 2011, $50 discount off • TREAT Software from Performance Systems Development: • Web Referral Service: 50% discount on activation fees • Give Something Back: • 5-15% off Office supplies • • • 10% off MRSP prices for • Energy Conservation Institute: • 5% off MSRP prices for tools and equipment • 10% off prices for hands-on training courses Home Energy Magazine: • 20% discount Green Builder Magazine: • 10% discount • TruTechTools.com: • 3% discount off the best price for all products www.efficiencyfirst.org/member-benefits Lists current employment opportunities in all aspects of the Home Performance industry, including openings for energy auditors, field technicians and administrative staff. There is no charge for job seekers to view listings or post profiles and resumes. To register, visit: http://jobs.efficiencyfirst.org Employers who wish to post job openings must be current members of Efficiency First Patch Garcia | Recruiter and Intra-Company Coach Patch Garcia, a veteran of the S.F. Bay Area’s “green scene”, has been recruiting for solar and energy efficiency companies for more than ten years. She is the former General Manager of Sun Light and Power, former Chief Culture Officer of Sustainable Spaces/Recurve She is currently working as an independent recruiter for clean technology companies such as Eco Performance Builders, Sunwater Solar and Watersmart Software. The Ideal Home Performance Team Technical Sales Administrative When to Hire Subbing Out Work Technical Administrative Sales/Marketing Demand Levels New Employees New Crews Identifying Hiring Needs Natural Talent Delegate Down Company Resource Allocation General Screening Considerations Shared Values For Crews, Hire Leaders Give People Time to Warm Up Tiger Adolf | Director – Western Region Building Performance Institute, Inc. (BPI) Tiger joined BPI in 2010 and holds the position of Western Regional Director. She brings more than 20 years experience working with federal and state agencies, as well as investor-owned, cooperative association and municipal utilities. She was responsible for administering the Weatherization Assistance Program in southeastern Wyoming and also for launching a Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program in the state. About BPI • Global Leader supporting the development of: – highly professional building performance industry consensus standards development, – individual and organizational credentialing, – rigorous quality assurance program. • ANSI Accredited Standards Development Organization – Application as ANSI Certification Body in progress • Our mission is to raise the bar in performance contracting. Serving you since 1993 What BPI Offers • National technical standards for the home performance industry based on sound building science (open, transparent, consensus-developed process) • Certification of individuals in professional technical designations • Accreditation of contractors committed to delivering quality, home performance improvements • Quality assurance to verify conformance with BPI Standards and provide feedback for continuing improvement • Affiliate Organizations offer training and preparation for BPI Certification and deliver exam services to the market Home Performance is Growing • The residential energy efficiency retrofit and weatherization industry is among the fastest-growing segments of the green collar workforce. • BPI Standards and Professional Credentials are the foundation for more than 120 Residential Energy Efficiency Programs across the nation • HP industry depends on moving workers with stackable, portable, national credentials that are recognized across program and geographic boundaries • Professional credentials provide certainty to employers in the private market that the candidate is job-ready. Demand for Consistency – In Work and Skills The second section supports a skilled workforce, identifying the essential job functions and competencies for four common weatherization and homeperformance job classifications: Energy Auditor, Installer/Technician, Crew Leader, and Quality Assurance Professional/Inspector. These are: • Job Task Analyses (JTAs). JTAs identify and catalog all of the tasks a given worker typically performs when completing a suite of energy efficiency upgrades in a home. • Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). KSAs identify the mental (cognitive) and physical (psychomotor) competencies that a skilled worker should possess to perform high quality energy efficiency upgrade work. Growth of BPI Certifications BPI Certifications by Year Year 2001 BPI Certifications by Year New New Cumulative 12,000 590 591 2002 508 511 2003 345 347 2004 353 513 2005 345 602 2006 752 963 2007 687 962 2,000 2008 1,278 1,622 0 2009 4,556 5,021 2010 11,423 12,043 2011 8,624 9,128 Total 29,465 32,306 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 29,465 active certifications 9/02/11 2010 Competency Framework Employment Eligibility General Education Requirements Fundamental Skills / Certificate Advanced Technical Courses Professional Certification Management/ Sales Skills •Physical •Legal •Age Personal Competencies: •Interpersonal Skills •Integrity •Professionalism •Initiative •Dependability Workplace Competencies •Team Work •Customer Focus •Problems Solving •Decision Making •Prior Education •Eligible to Work •Driver’s License Academic Competencies: •Reading •Writing •Basic arithmetic/math •Verbal and written communication •Working with Tools and Technology •Checking, Examining, Recording •Basic Workplace Safety •Occupation-specific skills and competencies •Company specific skills and competencies •Industry recognized skills and competencies •Manufacturer Certifications •Management •Sales •Supervisory Skills •National Certifications •Advanced Math/Algebra •Marketing •Accounting •Inventory •Personnel Home Performance Skills and Abilities Employment Ready Home Energy Career Self Assessment Contextualized Communication Skills Soft and Other Basic Employment Skills Installer or Audit Assistant Basic Computing Skills for forms Safety Basic Construction Skills Intro to Building Science Concepts and Diagnostics Basic Installation Measures; air sealing, insulation, base load Advanced Installer Basic Combustion Safety Installer Certification Diagnostic Testing Building Envelope Building Science Applied Mathematics Advanced Wx Skills Sustainable Lighting Retrofit, Energy Consumption Crew Chief / Energy Auditor Inspection and Advanced Measure Installation Advanced Diagnostic Testing Codes Advanced Combustion Safety Industry Certifications – Crew Chief or Energy Auditor Software Modeling Skills Project Manager/ Production Coordinator Customer Management Scheduling and Production Inventory Management Owner/Operator Plan/Direct/Coordinate Organization Operations Formulate Policies Manage Daily Operations Plan Use of Materials and Human Resources Certifications Business License – Contractor’s License Nothing Happens Without a Job • Employers routinely looking for qualified professionals to hire • Unemployed, highly qualified professionals seeking jobs • Consistency of qualifications not well aligned between programs • DOE/NREL effort to standardize job skills, demonstrate workforce mobility up career ladders and across career lattices by establishing a clear set of essential KSAs upon which worker credentials should be based. • Quality employees provide the basis for sound business practices – Nothing Happens Until Somebody Sells a Job BPI Green Collar Jobs Initiative Green Collar Jobs pages Widely Promoted Seeks to connect employers with qualified employees Additional tools coming through QMS Project Green Collar Jobs • BPI's Green Collar Jobs Page: Free Resume Listing/Job Posting • For Job Seekers: Postings from Companies Seeking Certified Professionals:  BPI accredited firms  BPI training affiliates and partners  Companies seeking BPI certified professionals  BPI careers • For Employers: Resumes of BPI certified professionals seeking employment • Send resumes to or request job posting form from Kim: kgrugle@bpi.org Manage the People You Hire • BPI Quality Management Systems is in Development – Expected to Launch Late October • Available to the Public – Home Performance Industry Support • Guidebook Approach Covering QMS Principles • Articles • Templates • Tools • Techniques Standards Under Development Elena Foshay | Program Director Rising Sun Energy Center • Elena Foshay has been actively engaged in the green jobs movement for more than five years. • Elena has published numerous policy briefs, memos, and reports on green economic development, job quality standards, workforce development, and energy policy. • Elena also did research for the Labor Center at the University of California, Berkeley, where she conducted a study of opportunities in the green economy for cities and training programs. Workforce Hiring Toolkit Assembled by the Efficiency First Workforce Development Best Practices Committee as a resource to help employers through the hiring process. Find the toolkit here: http://www.efficiencyfirst.org/memberbenefits/#toolkit Toolkit Overview The toolkit offers information and ‘quick tips’ in six areas: • Writing a good job description • Recruiting qualified candidates • Processing applications and screening resumes • Conducting successful interviews • Conducting additional assessments • Employer hiring and training incentives Step 1: Write a Good Job Description • The job description is the first step to finding the best candidates to fill a job opening. • It is your chance to define your specific requirements and preferences. • A good job description acts as a preliminary screening process. Step 2: Recruit Well-Qualified Applicants There are numerous options for finding qualified applicants: • Online (including Efficiency First Job Board) • Local One-Stop Center • Community college career centers • Local job training programs • Your company website • Employer Council • Internships Step 3: Process Applications & Screen Resumes • Manage and review the incoming flow of job applications. • Create a rubric to help you pick the candidates you would like to interview. • Respond to top applicants quickly Step 4: Conduct Successful Interviews Form a good set of questions that will elicit informative answers: • Intro to the company and details about the position • Technical aptitude • Experience and interests • Cultural fit and leadership potential • Situational assessments Step 5: Conduct Additional Assessments There are many other ways to conduct additional assessments with job applicants: • Work-day interviews • Personality assessment tests • Background check – Pros and cons – Dos and don’ts Step 6: Employer Hiring and Training Incentives Incentives can provide financial support to subsidize the cost of workforce-related expenses: • OJT • Work Opportunity Tax Credit • Enterprise Zones, Empowerment Zones • Payroll tax incentives • Federal Bonding Program Kif Scheuer | Program Director Strategic Energy Innovations At SEI, Kif's primary focus is on sustainability initiatives in the municipal sector. In the recent past, he conducted outreach to the solar industry for Skyline's Solar Installer Training Program, and led SEI's green demonstration project with the University of Redlands. Kif has also presented on SEI's work at a variety of regional and national conferences including GreenBuild (2007), West Coast Green (2007), and ACEEE Summer Study (2008). Home Performance Resource Center: Developing Tools for Employer Workforce Needs • Goals – Help potential employees understand what they are getting into – Offload some preliminary screening for employers • Approach – Provide clearer information about what home performance career options are – Create custom resources for employers to utilize in their own hiring process Home Performance Resource Center’s Career Resources Website • http://www.hprcenter.org/career-resources • Provides key home performance job profiles and additional resources for self assessment and job training. • Created through the Home Energy Retrofit Occupations (HERO) program, a department of Labor “Community Based Jobs Training Grant” The Home Energy Retrofit Occupations (HERO) program is funded by a $2.5 million Community Based Job Training (CBJT) Grant, as implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration and hosted by the San Mateo County Workforce Investment Board (SMCWIB). Elements of the Career Resources Website • Contractor Video Profiles • Career information • Career Self-assessment HPR Center Career Resources Contractor Video Profiles HPR Center Career Resources Career Information Career Self-Assessment Overview • Designed to compliment traditional workforce industry recruitment and screening efforts • Provides a free widely accessible resource that job seekers can utilize to better understand the industry as a whole and their potential fit for employment. • In process of linking results to EF Job Board. Career Self-Assessment Sample Results Putting Career Resources To Work • Direct Applicants to HPR Center to answer their questions prior to applying • Ask applicants to submit self-assessment results with their resume • Post your jobs to Efficiency First job board John Mello |Green Projects Director Baltimore Center for Green Careers John Mello is the Director of Civic Works’ Green Projects department which includes the Baltimore Center for Green Careers and EnergyReady. In this capacity he is responsible for B’more Green’s operations, including supervision of staff and certified trainers, program administration, evaluation and reporting. John lead the team that launched the Baltimore Center for Green Careers and was involved in designing and starting up Civic Works’ “EnergyReady”, a Home Performance social enterprise and he currently directs the newly expanded EnergyReady operations. Home Performance Installer Training & Placement Social Enterprise Baltimore’s Home Performance Industry Demand Creation Workforce Creation Entry-level w/d Why it Works • • • • • • Employer Demand Driven Information Session Pre-screening Industry Recognized Credentials On-the-job training Work Day Interview www.baltimoregreencareers.org www.energyreadynow.com Rob Minnick | General Manager Minnick’s Inc. Rob Minnick has 30 years experience in the Heating and Air Conditioning field, in particular with Mechanical Design & Home Performance for homeowners. Rob Minnick earned his certifications from Air Conditioning Contractors of America, Building Performance Institute, Residential Energy Service Network and United States Green Building Council. In addition to his heating and air conditioning work, Rob is a board member for the Air conditioning Contractor of America Washington, DC Chapter and Efficiency First Maryland Chapter and serves on the Board of Directors for MD Clean Energy Center. In this role, he helps members on up coming codes changes, training and any other items to help the member exceed at there business. Minnick’s Inc. Background Launching Home Performance Work HVAC/Home Performance Rebate, Incentive & Financing Program Impacts Hiring Practices Leveraging Training Programs: Baltimore Civic Works, Lincoln Tech, Allstate Career Center Benefits Invested job seekers Challenges Geographic coverage Adapt from Training Environment to Professional Environment Lessons Learned Streamline standard processes DISC assessment Key Pieces of Advice Adhere to practices in place Minnick’s Hiring Process 1. Advertise Job Position 2. Pre-Qualify the Applicant 3. Set up 1st Interview a. If interview goes well, run checks 4. Set up 2nd Interview a. Run Additional Checks 5. Send Out Offer 6. Train New Hire Key General Qualities Character Attitude Skills can be taught Questions This webinar will be available to download within 48 hrs at: http://www.efficiencyfirst.org/webinars/ Contact Information Patch Garcia Recruiter & Intra-Company Coach virtualpatch@gmail.com Elena Foshay Program Director Rising Sun Energy Center foshay@risingsunenergy.org 510-655-1501 Tiger Adolf, Western Regional Director Building Performance Institute, Inc. (BPI) 518.951.0666 (Cell) tadolf@bpi.org www.bpi.org Standards, Certification, Accreditation, Quality Assurance Contact Information Kif Scheuer Sustainable Communities Program Director Strategic Energy Innovations kif@seiinc.org 415-507-1433 John Mello Green Projects Director Baltimore Center for Green Careers Civic Works, Inc. mello@cavtel.net 410-929-6214 Rob Minnick General Manager Minnick’s, Inc. Rob@minnick’s.net Thank You Capitol Circle Sponsors