
Georgia added 7,100 construction jobs in 2024, continuing 11 years of growth in the construction sector, according to the Georgia Department of Labor. Metro Atlanta alone attracted $7.8 billion in construction investments, with 22,943 new residential construction permits representing a 12% year-over-year increase. But ask any contractor in Atlanta, Savannah, or Augusta, and they'll tell you the same thing—finding skilled electricians, plumbers, and HVAC techs is harder than ever.
Construction staffing agencies help contractors scale their crews quickly without the overhead of permanent hires. Here's what you need to know about your options in Georgia.
Georgia's construction industry is experiencing massive growth. The state saw 429 facility expansions and new locations in a recent year-long period, resulting in more than $20.3 billion in investment and 26,900 jobs, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Metro Atlanta led with nearly $7.8 billion in investments as a logistics and business hub.
Metro Atlanta recorded 22,943 new residential construction permits in 2024, marking the area's first year-over-year increase in new home construction since 2021. Gwinnett County alone added approximately 4,200 new residential permits, an 18% increase. Commercial and industrial projects are surging too, with 10.9 million square feet of industrial space currently under construction in the Atlanta area.
With construction unemployment at historic lows and demand for skilled tradespeople at all-time highs, Georgia contractors across the state struggle to find qualified electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians.
Staffing agencies help contractors scale up for big projects or fill gaps when regular crews are stretched thin. Most agencies handle the recruiting and screening, so you don't have to spend time sorting through resumes. Many take care of payroll, workers' comp, and other administrative work, though what's included varies by company.
Founded: 2000s | HQ: Monmouth, IL
With over two decades in the industry, ITS operates across Georgia with a focus on putting talent first. They serve multiple Georgia cities including Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Macon, Columbus, and Albany. ITS specializes in placing electricians, millwrights, conveyor installers, pipefitters, pipe welders, structural welders, iron workers, concrete laborers/carpenters, and crane operators. Their process matches tradesmen with reputable employers on safe job sites, and they commit to keeping workers employed by quickly matching them to new contractors when projects close. The company understands the common frustrations job seekers face and works to match skilled professionals with employers on projects where they'll earn a living in a safe environment.
Founded: 1992 | HQ: Cleveland, OH
One of the largest construction staffing companies in North America with a strong Georgia presence across multiple office locations, including Atlanta, Savannah, and Augusta. Founded in 1992 with over 30 years of industry experience, Tradesmen operates hundreds of offices nationwide. Beyond traditional staffing, they offer OSHA 10-hour safety training for all employees, productivity analysis, labor consulting services, and their CORE+Flex methodology for workforce optimization. Their scale means they can staff large projects quickly. All craftworkers are permanent Tradesmen employees who receive benefits and undergo two interviews, multiple reference checks, and routine monthly evaluations. From power plants and wind farms to retail and multi-family construction sites, their reliable, skilled, and safety-minded craftworkers help local contractors reduce labor-related costs and meet project deadlines.
Founded: 1987 | HQ: Tacoma, WA
Part of TrueBlue Inc., a publicly traded workforce solutions company (NYSE: TBI), PeopleReady serves commercial, residential, and industrial construction sectors nationwide with over 600 branch locations across all 50 states. Founded in 1987 with nearly 40 years of experience, PeopleReady connects approximately 464,000 people to work annually. Their mobile app JobStack lets you request workers on-demand and track job progress in real-time, which works well for fast-moving Georgia projects. The platform provides 24/7 access to place orders and watch them get filled in real time. PeopleReady has extensive Georgia coverage with locations across Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, and other major markets.
Founded: 1984 | HQ: Kalamazoo, MI
Recognized as a national leader among construction staffing agencies, Trillium provides skilled tradesmen and tradeswomen from apprentice through journeyman levels. They serve locations throughout Georgia including Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Macon, Columbus, Albany, Athens, Marietta, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Johns Creek, Warner Robins, and Valdosta. Trillium employs a full-time safety management team that offers on-site safety training and certifications, making safety a core part of their business model rather than just a concern. Their dedication to safety principles has made them a valued staffing partner to over 5,000 companies nationwide. They offer comprehensive screening processes, specialize exclusively in construction staffing, and can provide workers with NCCER certification, TWIC cards, Aerial lift cards, or OSHA training.
Founded: 2004 | HQ: Roswell, GA
Staff Zone specializes in meeting the blue-collar staffing needs of the construction, light industrial, and special events industries. Since 2004, they've cultivated best-in-class procedures that bridge workers with jobs. This Georgia-headquartered company is owned by Harris Ventures, Inc., and operates from Roswell with a network of branches throughout the United States. Staff Zone's primary focus is on safety management and maintaining quality service standards. They have experience, reach, workforce capacity, and quality service that contractors depend on for construction labor needs across Georgia markets.
Founded: 2009 | HQ: Raleigh, NC
Premier focuses exclusively on electrical trades across 9 Southeastern states, including Georgia. Founded in 2009, the company has grown to approximately 223 employees and $12 million in annual revenue, making it the largest electrical-only staffing company in the country. What sets Premier apart is that their core recruiting staff includes experienced contractors, project managers, superintendents, and master or journeyman electricians who understand the field. Their specialization means deep databases of pre-screened electricians, from apprentices to project managers, for commercial, industrial, and residential work. All candidates pass written exams, background checks, drug testing, and skills tests monitored by experienced tradesmen.
Founded: 2008 | HQ: Charlotte, NC
CCS (originally Carolinas Construction Solutions) provides skilled trades across multiple disciplines, including electrical, plumbing, HVAC, pipefitting, sheet metal, carpentry, and concrete. Founded in 2008, the company has grown from operating in one state to over 15 states with 386 total employees. CCS prides itself on being more flexible than large national firms while focusing exclusively on skilled construction trades. They serve contractors throughout Georgia and the Southeast with temporary, temp-to-hire, and direct hire placements. The company focuses on job site safety management and handles all administrative functions, from payroll to insurance. CCS has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list multiple times (2013-2018).
Founded: Active in Georgia | HQ: National operations
Power Labor operates in the Atlanta market, constantly updating and expanding their database of skilled craftspeople, qualifying new workers, and staffing them as demand arises. They have a strong track record of retaining workers for the life of a project. Power Labor covers on-demand commercial carpenters, electricians, plumbers, sheet metal workers, welders, HVAC workers, and heavy equipment operators in the Atlanta area. They provide worker insurance, employee benefits, and training, improving compliance for contractors. They manage payroll while contractors cover hourly wages. Finding, vetting, hiring, and onboarding skilled talent takes a unique set of skills that Power Labor has cultivated for the Atlanta construction market.
Most construction staffing agencies charge a markup of 40-70% above the worker's hourly rate. So if a worker makes $30/hour, you're paying $42-51/hour.
That markup covers workers' compensation insurance, general liability insurance, payroll taxes and administration, recruiting and screening, time tracking and billing, and replacement workers if needed.
For a 5-person crew working 40 hours/week, that extra markup adds up to $12,000-21,000 per month in added costs.
Buildforce takes a different approach. Instead of traditional agency processes that are slow and frustrating, we built a platform that connects Georgia contractors directly with pre-screened electricians.
How it works:
Sign up for a free account, create a project with your specific requirements, and let electricians apply directly. Review their detailed profiles showing experience, certifications, “would re-hire” ratings, and skills, then send offers to the workers you want. Once they accept, they can start as soon as the next day. Manage everything from your computer with easy-to-navigate time tracking, approvals, and payments in one place.
Buildforce handles all the administrative work like workers' comp, payroll, insurance, and background checks. But the direct connection means substantially lower costs than traditional agency markups.
Choose a traditional agency if:
Choose Buildforce if:
Finding reliable workers is one of the biggest problems Georgia contractors face. Having a staffing solution that can deliver qualified tradespeople when you need them makes all the difference.
If you're ready to staff your next Georgia electrical project with much less administrative setup and work, you can sign up for free with no payment information required. Browse our network of pre-screened Georgia electricians and see how direct hiring can improve your bottom line.
Most construction staffing agencies in Georgia charge a markup of 40-70% above the worker's hourly rate. For a $30/hour electrician, you'll pay $42-51/hour to the agency, with that markup covering workers' comp, payroll, insurance, and recruiting costs.
Temp agencies handle short-term placements where they remain the employer of record and manage all payroll and insurance. Direct hire means you bring the electrician onto your own payroll from day one, paying the agency a one-time placement fee of 15-30% of annual salary instead of ongoing markups.
Traditional agencies typically need 1-3 weeks for phone calls, worker assignment, and coordination. Direct-hire platforms like Buildforce let you review worker profiles and send offers instantly, with electricians starting as soon as the next day once they accept.
Yes, reputable construction staffing agencies handle workers' compensation insurance, general liability, and payroll taxes as part of their service. This administrative coverage is included in their markup fee, whether you're hiring through traditional agencies or direct-hire platforms.
Atlanta has the highest concentration of construction staffing agencies, followed by Savannah, Augusta, and Macon. Most major agencies like Tradesmen International, PeopleReady, and Trillium operate offices across multiple Georgia cities to serve contractors statewide.
Buildforce is where electrical contractors find, hire, and manage qualified electricians while reducing administrative overhead.