Viktech magazine Canada #2 / 2015

LET VIKTECH HELP YOU!

www.viktech.ca

Are you involved in a large deadline or do you need to focus your resources on tasks other than recruiting, retaining and training?

We have a database with +360 skilled tradespeople and general labour eager to assist you. Below we have listed examples of 5 of our qualifi ed staff, all of them available to start working for you asap:

Framing Carpenter - Leo Over 20 years in construction as a carpenter | Experience in high-rise building, cottages, decks, docks and chalets |Foundation forming and framing from the ground up in-cluding footings | Two to three years’ experience instal-ling/cladding steel wall and AD panels | WHMIS, Fall Ar-rest Certifi ed and Lift ticket certifi ed | Lives in Kitchener .

Drywall/Tapper/Painter - MichaelTwo years’ experience in drywall installation and taping | Two years’ experience in painting using rollers, brushes and paint sprayer | Demolition and general labour inclu-ding drywall, hardwood fl ooring and paint maintenance | WHMIS Certifi ed | Lives in Toronto.

Skilled Labour - Philip Over 11 years in general construction | Multifaceted general contractor/carpenter’s assistant | Experience in framing, footings, fi nish and trim carpentry, demolition, renovation and some electrical | Experience in restora-

tion carpentry on swing stage| Filled hollow steel door frames with mortar and hanging doors | Knowledge of precast concrete panels and able to read blueprints, sketches, specifi cations| WHMIS & Fall Arrest Certifi ed | Lives in Scarborough and fl exible with commuting.

Skilled Labour - Christopher 10 years of experience in construction| Over four years of framing houses from walls and fl oors to building roofs |Erecting walls, sheathing interior/exterior walls | Four years’ experience in specialized trim and baseboard work, cabinet insulation, kitchen installation and drywall | Two years of landscape installation of patio stones, re-taining walls and maintenance | Able to read blueprints, sketches and specifi cations |WHMIS and Fall Arrest Cer-tifi ed | Lives in Kitchener.

General Labour - Jahvar Over one year of experience as a hoist operator and work within general construction labour | Worked up to 44 fl oors | General labour including safety railings, safety fences, cement work, clean-up and packing/unloading |Lives in downtown Toronto – comfortable taking public transportation | WHMIS and Fall Arrest Certifi ed | Lives in Toronto.

Phone: +1 416 479 5435E-mail: [email protected]

WORKFORCE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

#02 | 2015

WWW.VIKTECH.CA

IN NEED OFEXTRA LABOUR?Viktech is your partner for construction labour supply. Page 4

“IT’S A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES!”David F, glazier and caulker, explains why Viktech is a good employer. Page 9

REVOLUTIONARY TECH TRENDS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Drones, cloud systems, 3D printing and biological materials. What do you get out of it? Page 10

Call Viktech

Today

- Get Qualified

Labour

Tomorrow

VIKTECH MAGAZINEThe Viktech Magazine is published by Viktech Inc. 174 Spadina Avenue - Suite 612 Toronto, ON M5T 2C2 Tel: (416) 479 5435email: [email protected] www.viktech.ca www.facebook.com/viktech.ca

Publisher: Viktech Inc. Editor: Christina JacobsenManaging Editor: Mia KnudsenCountry Manager: Mia Knudsen Graphic Designer: Mach01.com

Printed in Canada

About Viktech

Viktech supplies qualified and skilled tradesmen to the construction industry. Viktech makes life simple for customers by taking care of payroll, insurance, hiring and giving notice for hired labourers. Viktech is a member of the Toronto Construction Association.

Learn more about Viktech

www.viktech.ca Tel: (416) 479 5435 Email: [email protected]

MEET OUR NEW RECRUITER: UNA KARANOVICPage 6-7

CONTENTS

Page 3Short News: Industry UpdatesConstruction workers are the happiest employees. Work injuries in Ontario declined by 30 per cent. Construction industry’s growth rates differs across Ontario in 2015.

Page 4-5In Need of Extra Labour? Viktech Is Your Partner for Construction Labour SupplyWe want to assist you in creating a flexible and profitable business. Page 6-7Meet Our New Recruiter: Una Karanovic “Viktech focuses on meeting their clients and workers in person…”

Page 7We Care: Recruitment at ViktechViktech finds just the right candidate for clients.

Page 8Viktech Sponsored Lunch at the Annual Toronto Construction Association Ski DayOn February 26, Viktech attented the 33rd TCA Ski Day at the “Craigleith Ski Club”. Page 9“It’s a World of Opportunities!” – Interview with Viktech Employee David F A skilled tradesman explains why he is so pleased about working for Viktech. Page 10- 11Revolutionary Tech Trends in the Construction IndustryDrones, cloud systems, 3D printing and biological materials. What are they and what do you get out of it?

Short

Up

dates

CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ARE THE HAPPIEST EMPLOYEESThe ‘2015 Best Industry Ranking Report’ by TINY-pulse’s found construction workers to be the happiest employees among all surveyed categories. The report gathered its data in the US of not less than 30,000 employees that work across more than 500 organizations among 12 distinct industries. The construction workers are followed by employees of the consumer products, technology and software. The report also points out the three main conditions that do have a negative effect on employees’ mood: Managers that are not supportive, not having tools to succeed and no opportunity for professional growth. Happily, these issues seem to be less present among construction workers than to employees of other branches and industries.

IWH REPORT: Work injuries declined by 30 per cent

The strong efforts by employers in Ontario to make workplaces safer seem to pay off. A recent report by the institute for Work and Health (IWH) shows that work-related injuries in Ontario have declined by not less than 30 per cent (in the years 2004 – 2011). The five leading causes of injury among those patients

that went to the emergency room were: Inanimate mechanical force (e.g. injuries caused from a machine) at 16 per cent (previously at 52 per cent), overexertion at 14 per cent, electricity, fire and hot objects at 3 per cent and poisoning at 2 per cent. However, non-work injury rates have not been lowered in the same period.

OCS OUTLOOK: Construction Industry’s Growth Rates Differs Across Ontario in 2015

A survey by the Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS) sees clear regional differences in Ontario’s construction outlook. The general outlook for the construction economy looks confident in the province, expected to account for $16 billion in 2015. There are, however, huge growth differences across Ontario. While the Greater Toronto Area is expected to take the lead in the province, Northern Ontario lies below the industry-average. Firms operating in the northern region are however not too pessimis-tic, as 22 per cent expect to conduct more business compared to 16 per cent expecting to conduct less business. North Ontario is still characterized by min-ing and infrastructure projects.

MEET OUR NEW RECRUITER: UNA KARANOVICPage 6-7

WWW.VIKTECH.CA | TEL. (416) 479 5435 | | 3|#02 - 2015

Do you need carpenters, masons, painters or general

labour? Viktech is specialized in the recruitment of

highly skilled workers for any construction

trade required by your company.

More and more companies are seeing and experiencing the advantages of hiring external staff instead of moving directly to permanent employ-ment. At Viktech, we provide skilled tradesmen that are available on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis.

IN NEED OF EXTRA LABOUR? VIKTECH WILL FIND JUST THE RIGHT CANDIDATE FOR YOU – FAST AND ALL INCLUDED

When you contact Viktech in the need for extra capac-ity in your company, you can be sure to get just the right candidate for you. We will listen carefully to the requirements that you have and we will have you to explain us which challenges your company is facing. Once we have agreed on the expectation level, we will recruit your new labourer that will have the best pos-sible qualifications for your specific project.

– YOUR TRUSTED PARTNER FOR CONSTRUCTION LABOUR SUPPLY

OUR AMBITION AT VIKTECH IS SIMPLE:

We want to assist you in creating a flexible and profitable business.

ALWAYS AT YOUR SITE: WE MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH YOUR VIKTECH LABOURER

On their first day of work at your site, our Viktech skilled tradesmen will arrive equipped with high-qual-ity Viktech tools and dressed in Viktech work wear (or your own brand if so desired) and be ready to work. To ensure that the agreed expectation level is met, a Vik-tech Sales Representative will accompany the trades-man on his first day of work to make the introduction to the site supervisor. We make sure that our Viktech tradesman provides the expected service according to what was initially agreed. Therefore, the Viktech Sales Representative will report back to your construction site supervisor on the third day and again on the fourteenth day. Should you for some reason not be satisfied - we will find you another tradesman – at no additional recruitment cost.

PROJECT DONE? WE WILL REPOSITION OUR TRADESMAN

When your project is finished, just let Viktech know and we will move our tradesman to another project for a different client. If you would like to take on our tradesmen as your own full-time employee, you can do that free of cost - after only a few weeks of Try and Hire. Just speak to our Sales Representative and he will take care of the details.

We look forward to working with your company!

BEST SERVICE: YOU GET AN EXTRA LABOURER – WE TAKE CARE OF THE REST

We screen, test and take references on all of our tradesmen before they are placed with one of our clients. Part of the Vik-tech service is to ensure least work for our clients. That means taking care of all ad-ministrative tasks such as ensuring valid tickets and certificates, providing vacation pay, doing payroll, paying WSIB etc.

Call Viktech

Today

- Get Qualified

Labour

TomorrowWWW.VIKTECH.CA | TEL. (416) 479 5435 | | 5|#02 - 2015

Q: UNA, TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUNDA: I was born in Bosnia, raised in Germany and now live in Canada. I speak 3 different languages and I have a BA in International Business, where I learned a lot about different business markets and different business practices. With this business degree I could potentially help any type of Canadian company to expand into many different market areas. Having a broad and detailed knowledge about recruitment and people skills, I found that the field of human resource management and recruiting was the right path for me. I have been in the recruiting business for five years and I love working with people. Finding someone the perfect position, hence meeting the client’s request, gives me a rush. We are all looking to be challenged and work for a company where we feel appreciated.

Q: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?A: I consider myself being a very empathetic person. Someone who is always trying to help people. I find that the ability to listen to people and always be open to suggestions is a huge advantage when working with people.

Q: WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE TO APPLY FOR A JOB WITH A COMPANY WHICH HAS A DANISH HEADQUARTER?A: I saw the job posting and noticed that Viktech is a fairly new business in Canada. Having European roots, I find it quite interesting to join a company who brings the European aspect of doing business into Canada. I believe that with my background, I have a solid understanding on how to work in the Canadian market while still meeting the success criteria requested by the Danish Headquarters. Power distance (The distance in authority between the Manager and the Employee) is very low in Denmark, meaning that you, as an employee, is much more empowered compared to employees in other countries. Here at Viktech, we work with a lot of autonomy, leading to voices being heard and happy employees.

Q: WHAT TYPE OF WORK DO YOU DO AT VIKTECH?A: I work as a recruiter for Viktech, mainly doing recruiting of skilled tradesmen for the construction industry. There is a lot of variation in the work as we get go recruit for many different types of trades. My job is to fill the orders with the best most suitable candidates. I need to assure that all employees that we send out to the jobs have all the major require-ments from their Health and Safety Awareness Training to WHIMS and Fall arrest. We do references checks and criminal background checks as well. We want our clients to be 100% satisfied with our employees.

MEET OUR NEW RECRUITER: UNA KARANOVICIn February, Our new recruiter Una joined the Viktech team. Meet our new experienced colleague who speaks three different languages and is special-ized in human resources and international business.

“…being able to help people find a job is very giving to me.”

Q: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MAIN STRENGTH FOR VIKTECH BEING ON THE CANADIAN MARKET?A: The fact that you operate in a European way – take your time to get to know your clients. Someone once told me: “People will forget your name and your face but they will never forget the way you treated them”. I like that Viktech focuses on meeting their clients and workers in person and not just do the entire business over the phone. Many companies neglect the value of the personal relationship as technology makes it eas-ier to communicate without ever meeting in person. But I think this is what makes Viktech so successful in recruiting the right candidates for clients. We really know our people.

ers for the construction industry. Their expertise in human resource management and their frequent personal contact with our employees gives them the ability to find just the right worker for a task.

VIKTECH FINDS JUST THE RIGHT CANDIDATE FOR CLIENTSIn the process of finding the right candidate for a task, the recruitment team contacts the most suitable candidates and explains the detaills of the project and what is required. When the right employee has been found for a task, the sales consultant takes over. He assures to fully equip the employee with tools, intro-duces him to his new job and is his personal contact person throughout the entire project. For us, this is not just about making sure that the job is being done properly but it is also about keeping a good a person-al connection to our employees. While being spread across various job sites in the province, we make sure to be a good employer, ensuring that our employees feel part of the Viktech team in their daily routine.

WHY CAN VIKTECH CLIENTS BE SURE OF BEING SUPPLIED WITH JUST THE RIGHT WORKFORCE FOR THEIR PROJECT? IT’S BECAUSE OUR RECRUITMENT STAFF ARE EXPERTS IN HUMAN RESOURCES. WE RECRUIT TALENTED WORK FORCE AND KEEP IN TOUCH.

Tasks in construction work are diverse. At first sight, there might only be a need for a worker of a certain profession, but the professional and personal re-quirement of the worker may vary. As in other indus-tries, workers in the construction industry have their specialties and personal preferences. The Viktech re-cruitment team is specialized in finding just the right workers whose professional and personal background suits the requirements of a clients’ work project.

THE VIKTECH SALES TEAM AND RECRUITMENT TEAM WORK VERY CLOSELY TOGETHERWhile the Viktech sales consultants attains a deep understanding and knowledge about their clients’ project and challenges, the Viktech recruitment staff are experts in spotting and hiring talented work-

Q: WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT YOUR NEW JOB AT VIKTECH?A: I like that I am being challenged every day. All cli-ents are different and everyone needs something else. I believe that I am part of a company that has a huge and long future in the Canadian market. Five years from now I want to look back and see Viktech being the number one labour agency in Canada and feel proud that I was a part of that growth. I got the chance to go to Denmark to do some initial training, which was very helpful in the sense of getting to know the values and work ethics of the company. I really like my new colleagues both in Canada and Denmark and I already feel that I’m part of the Viktech family!

WE CARE: RECRUITMENT AT VIKTECH


Viktech attended the 33rd annual Toronto Construction Association’s Ski Day at the ‘Craigleith Ski Club’ on February 26th 2015. Approximately 170 skiing enthusiasts of 53 companies of the construction industry participat-ed and as last year, Viktech was the proud sponsor of the lunch.

With thirty-two groomed trails that range from easy to expert, the ‘The Craigleith Ski Club’ in Collingwood (Blue Mountains) proved to be a diversified and excit-ing skiing area for a diverse group of sporty construc-tion professionals. Standing on the top of the slopes, the participators could enjoy the breathtaking view of the beautiful Escarpment and Georgian Bay. All in all an amazing venue for a Construction Ski Day.

When arriving at the ski club at 8.30am, the tempera-ture had dropped to -21 degrees Celsius, but it was a beautifully sunny day and, luckily, the wind didn’t pick up until later in the afternoon.

Fully prepared with helmets, googles and facemasks, everyone had the option to spend time on the won-derfully groomed slopes. Whether sitting in the lift or

racing down the slopes, there were lots of opportu-nities to meet with other companies and hear about their expected projects for the coming season.

At noon, the attendees were invited to join a Viktech sponsored lunch in the lodge. Many people enjoyed getting out of the cold for a while and meeting up with both new and old acquaintances. With full bellies, It was time for the Women’s Fun Race and the Men’s Fun Race. Viktech Canada’s Manager, Mia Knudsen, at-tended the Women’s Fun Race, but unfortunately had to see herself beaten by a highly skilled competitor.

All in all, it was a fun day where Viktech had the op-portunity to meet with some of their existing clients and potential clients.

VIKTECH SPONSORED LUNCH AT THE ANNUAL TORONTO CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION SKI DAY

Viktech Country Manager Mia Knudsen was meeting some clients on the slopes.


www.viktech.ca










INTERVIEW WITH VIKTECH EMPLOYEE DAVID F:

“IT’S A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES!”Why is a skilled tradesman so pleased about working for a company that specializes in temporary positions?

The answer is easy: There is a world of opportunities. Meet David F, glazier and caulker, working for Viktech for 8 months.

Q: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING FOR VIKTECH?A: I have been working for Viktech for 8 months. Last summer, I saw a job add from Viktech on the internet seeking a caulker and immediately applied for the job. The recruiters at the office quickly made sure that all my certificates were valid and before I knew it, I was ready to start on my first Viktech project.

Q: WHY IS IT ATTRACTIVE FOR YOU TO WORK FOR VIKTECH?A: At first I didn’t know that I applied for a temporary position. Had I known this, I might not have applied for the job. But luckily I did and I can definitely say that Viktech is not like any other temp agency. I would rather call it a skilled labour company. Viktech pays well and puts you on projects for months at a time instead of only from day to day. When a project finish-es, Viktech ensures that I will be placed on a different job. It gives me the opportunity to be working on dif-ferent sites and projects as well as giving me a chance to learn new skills and meet a lot of different people. It’s a world of opportunities!

Q: WHAT IS YOUR PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE?A: I’ve done many different things, e.g. concrete and brick, balconies, waterproofing, caulking and glazing. My favorite work is caulking and glazing. I take a lot of pride in the work that I do and I like the fact that

there is more finesse to working with caulking and glazing compared to for example concrete.

Q: WHAT MAKES VIKTECH SPECIAL FROM AN EMPLOYEE’S POINT OF VIEW?A: I appreciate that Viktech supplies both clothes and basic tools for each specific project. Further-more, they make sure that I have all the details I need to start the work. The fact that the Vik-tech representative is there on the first day of the project to meet with me and the site super-visor, makes it a very easy transition into the new working environment. These factors combined ensure that I am ready to start work immediate-ly when I arrive at the site. Working for Viktech means also, that you never feel alone. Should there be any issues, you can always contact the representative or the staff and they will gladly help you out.

Q: WHICH TYPE OF PROJECT WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORK ON NEXT?A: I would like to continue with doing the caulk-ing and glazing project which I have been doing for the last couple of years and it will be interest-ing to see what types of projects Viktech will find for me in the upcoming summer season.

DRONES Drones or UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) are a promising new technology for construction. Being able to capture aerial images, they open up to moni-tor your jobsites. The prices for drones have dropped significantly in recent years, making them affordable to any company that might want to use them.

What Do You Get out of It?In real-time, you can obtain data on construction progress. One of the biggest advantages is that you will to have the possibility to inspect structures that otherwise are very difficult to inspect (e.g. bridges). Also, you will be able to ensure safe practices.

What Does It Take?You can easily use a drone for commercial use but be sure to follow some safety rules. For example, you may not fly higher than 90 metres from above the ground and may not fly closer than 150 metres from people or buildings. If you are planning to use drones, we recommend that you visit Transport Canada’s website, where you can read more about UAV rules and regula-tions. Visit www.tc.gc.ca/safetyfirst.

CLOUDCloud computing technologies are digital services that can be accessed at any time from any digital device with an internet connection. Sounds fancy? Well, most of us are already using them in our daily lives. Just think of your email account that you can check from anywhere. Smart? Yes, and here is why the technology should also be used in the construction industry.

What Is It?Information sharing is the key of cloud technology. In the construction industry, this technology can host collaborative boards where multiple users can access project data at the same time, being able to make real-time changes to a document. The BIM (Building Information Modelling) is globally playing a key role in construction. It involves the generation and man-agement of digital representations of physical and functional characteristics of a facility. It allows architects, surveyors, engineers and others in the design team as well as contractors, opera-tors and owners to add their discipline-specific knowledge to a single shared model. Finally, this collaboration minimizes loss of information in case a new team takes over a part of the project.

Technology is everywhere in our daily lives. But why do we hesitate to inte-grate them into our work life? Experts claim that the construction industry has not kept up with the evolution of technology trends. Bearing a huge potential for contem-porary and future projects, we focus on some of the most promising tech-nologies for the industry.

TECHTRENDS

10|#02 - 2015 | | TEL. (416) 479 5435 | WWW.VIKTECH.CA

What Do You Get out of It?Building information models become shared knowl-edge, supporting decision-making in construc-tion projects – from the earliest conceptual stages, through building design and construction, its opera-tional life and its eventual demolition.

Among the most popular cloud service software for the construction industry is ‘Newforma’, ‘Viewpoint’ and ‘RIB MC2’. If you are looking for a service that suits exactly your business, we recommend that you visit http://www.capterra.com/construction-manage-ment-software/

3D PRINTING You have probably heard of this many times. The future use of 3D prints have been widely discussed in the industry. Though it is still a long way to go towards cost-effective mass-print materials, the future potential for construction is huge. Experts agree that the development of 3D printers will have a revolu-tionary impact on the industry, ranging from building structural integrity to housing prices.

What Is It?By using digital models, 3D printing constructs objects layer by layer. While it has existed for approximately 30 years, it only had its real takeoff during the last few years. The 3D printing technology is also referred to as ‘additive printing’. Prices for 3D printers have minimized, being already available at a price below $1,000. As technology evolves and the prices are shrinking, more people are starting to work and develop the technology further.

What Impact Does It have?It is claimed that 3D printing construction will be cheaper, stronger, faster, safer and more eco-friendly compared to manual construction. In 2014, the Uni-versity of Southern California invented the “Contour Crafting” technology which enables a 2,500 square-foot house to be built in 20 hours. In addition to the economical advantages, 3D printing promises more creative flexibility: Walls will no longer have to be lin-ear. With no additional costs, exotic architectural fea-tures can be realised - environmentally friendly and in no time.

BIOLOGICAL MATERIALSWhile physics and chemistry have been dominating the evolution of construction materials, biology could become the next big thing for the industry. It may sound strange but scientist are about to invent steady and robust bricks that are grown in moulds. Further-more, they are fully recyclable.

What Is It?Biological materials are far from illusionary. Last year, The Living (architect) built the ‘Hy-Fi pavilion’ for the New York Museum of Modern Art. The pavilion count-ed 10,000 bricks, reaching a height of 12 metres. The bricks used for the project are entirely organic and compostable. A major part of the material is made of corn stalks, stained clay-red wit and organic dye. Other materials used is mainly ‘mycelium’ (mush-room roots) that hold tie the corn stalks together as they cohere into a molded shape. The technology was invented in 2007 and has previously been used for packaging material.

What Impact Does It Have?The organic bricks can be grown in 5 days, producing no waste, no carbon emissions and requiring no input of energy.


Are You Looking for Skilled Trades People or General Labour?

Are you approaching a deadline and experiencing shortage of your own staff?

Viktech Can Help You!We supply highly skilled staff immediately. No need to worry about recruitment, payroll, WSIB etc. Viktech will take care of all administrative tasks, ensuring that you will have our qualified Viktech staff working with you, under your supervision, in no time.We are experts on supplying Site Construction Crew and Workforce Solutions. We have a large database of qualified skilled tradespeople and general labour that are ready to work for you ASAP.


www.viktech.ca










LET VIKTECH HELP YOU FOCUS ON YOUR CORE BUSINESS!

Contact us:Call (416) 479 5435 or email [email protected] Inc. – 174 Spadina Avenue, Suite 612 – Toronto, ON, M5T 2C2

Documents

Viktech magazine Canada #2 / 2015