Skillforce

What Skillforce does

Skillforce, Inc. is a US private construction staffing firm founded in 2003 by Rob Cossaboon and headquartered in Timonium, Maryland. The company supplies contractors with skilled craftsmen — electricians, plumbers, carpenters, HVAC technicians, welders, millwrights, sheet metal workers, general laborers, and more than 60 additional trade specialties across 100+ trades total — on a temporary or long-term basis through a W-2 employee model. It complements temporary staffing with a Direct Hire placement service for management-level construction positions (superintendents, project engineers, estimators, foremen) and a dedicated Solar/Renewable Energy Division addressing the renewable construction workforce.

The company's core operating asset is a proprietary database of over 500,000 individuals — every person who has worked for, interviewed with, or responded to recruitment outreach by Skillforce over twenty years, all individually interviewed and screened. Differentiated service components include a 16-hour Test Drive guarantee (free replacement if a placed worker fails in the first 16 hours), OSHA 500-certified safety professionals producing customized job site safety plans, certified payroll administration for government projects, and a full W-2 benefits package (healthcare, dental/vision, 401K, paid holidays, paid vacation). Underlying technology is modest: ADP for payroll/time tracking/employee portal and a WordPress-based marketing site — there is no disclosed AI/ML matching engine. Industry credentials include OSHA 10 and OSHA 500 certifications and the CEO's 2007 SmartCEO "Top 100 CEO" recognition.

Skillforce makes money primarily through an hourly bill-rate model on temporary labor placements, with the bill rate covering payroll, payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, and workers' compensation; plus a transaction-fee Direct Hire placement stream for permanent management positions. It sells exclusively through direct sales — dedicated account representatives for enterprise contractors and inside sales for smaller engagements — across 14 branch offices spanning the Mid-Atlantic (Maryland, DC, Virginia), Southeast (North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky), Southwest (Texas), and Midwest (Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa), plus a traveler program for nationwide placement. Customer acquisition is supported by active membership and apprenticeship sponsorship with ABC, IEC, AGC, ASA, TEXO, and NCCER, a content-marketing blog (Feb 2024 - June 2025 cadence), and PR coverage in the Wall Street Journal, NBC News, and BC&E News. The company remains founder-owned and operated with no disclosed institutional investors.

Name

Skillforce

Legal name

Skillforce, Inc.

Website

https://skillforce.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Skillforce is a US construction staffing firm, founded in 2003 and headquartered in Timonium, Maryland, that supplies contractors with skilled craftsmen across 100+ trades on a W-2 temporary or direct-hire basis. It operates 14 branch offices across the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Southwest, and Midwest, serving over 5,000 construction clients from a 500,000-record candidate database.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Staffing Services

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Skilled Trades (Electricians/Plumbers/HVAC/Carpenters) Staffing (BPACAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction & General Labor Staffing (BPACAEAA), Skilled Trades & Industrial Direct Hire (BPACAFAG)

Keywords

• Construction staffing services
• Skilled trades staffing
• Construction labor contractor
• Temporary skilled labor
• Direct hire placement

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Construction Labor Staffing: Skillforce provides skilled craftsmen (electricians, plumbers, carpenters, HVAC technicians, welders, millwrights, sheet metal workers, general laborers, and 60+ other trades) to contractors on a temporary or long-term basis. They charge contractors an hourly bill rate that covers payroll, payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, and worker's compensation. All employees are full-time W-2 employees.
2. Direct Hire Placement: Skillforce helps contractors fill permanent management and executive positions including construction superintendents, project engineers, estimators, project schedulers, and foremen. This is a placement/search fee model for converting temporary workers or filling directhire positions.
3. Payroll Administration Services: Skillforce handles all payroll-related administrative functions including certified payroll submissions and electronic filings, charging a markup on labor costs as part of their bill rate structure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Skillforce is a full-service construction labor contractor that supplies guaranteed, reliable skilled craftsmen (electricians, plumbers, carpenters, HVAC technicians, welders, millwrights, sheet metal workers, general laborers, and 60+ other trades) to construction contractors on a temporary or long-term basis. All workers are W-2 employees of Skillforce, and clients pay an hourly bill rate that covers wages, payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, and workers' compensation. The firm additionally provides direct hire placement for construction management and executive roles, supported by a 16-hour Test Drive replacement guarantee, certified payroll administration, OSHA-certified safety training, and a 500,000-person pre-screened candidate database.

Product overview

Skillforce is a full-service construction labor contractor offering skilled craftsmen staffing solutions. The core offering is construction staffing services, providing contractors with skilled tradespeople (electricians, plumbers, carpenters, HVAC technicians, welders, millwrights, and 60+ other trades) on an as-needed basis. The company complements this with Direct Hire services for permanent management positions and the Skillforce Test Drive 16-hour guarantee for risk-free evaluation. Additional value comes through their employee benefits program which attracts and retains skilled workers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Construction Staffing Services Full-service labor contractor providing guaranteed, reliable skilled craftsmen (electricians, plumbers, carpenters, HVAC technicians, welders, millwrights, sheet metal workers, general laborers, and 60+ additional trades) to commercial and industrial construction contractors on a temporary or long-term basis, ranging from helper to master level.
• Direct Hire Placement Permanent placement service for management-level construction positions including construction superintendents, traveling superintendents, working superintendents/foremen, project engineers/coordinators, estimators, project schedulers, and other management roles in commercial, manufacturing, and industrial sectors.
• Solar Division Staffing Staffing for solar and renewable energy construction projects, providing skilled tradespeople for solar installation and wind technician work, operated as a dedicated go-to-market motion led by a National Sales Executive.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fill most staffing orders within 24-48 hours
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkillforce is an active member of ABC. The company sponsors apprenticeship programs through ABC and participates in industry events and workforce development initiatives. ABC membership provides access to training resources, networking, and industry advocacy.
• IEC (Independent Electrical Contractors)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkillforce is an active member of IEC and sponsors individuals in IEC apprenticeship programs. The partnership supports electrical trades training and workforce development.
• ASA (American Subcontractors Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive membership supporting the subcontracting community and industry relations.
• AGC (Associated General Contractors of America)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive membership in AGC supporting construction industry advocacy, workforce development, and industry relations.
• TEXO (The Construction Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive membership in TEXO supporting the Texas construction industry community.
• OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkillforce sponsors OSHA training for employees. The company is OSHA 500 certified, allowing them to provide comprehensive safety training and create customized job site safety plans for clients.
• NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkillforce partners with NCCER through The Builders' Table podcast and workforce development initiatives. NCCER provides training curricula and credentials for construction craft professionals.
• Project JumpstartminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Manager Vic Victoriano serves as Vice Chair on the board of directors for Project Jumpstart, a workforce development nonprofit serving the Baltimore construction industry.
• Associated Builders Greater Baltimore ChapterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Manager Vic Victoriano serves on the board of directors (ex-officio) for the Associated Builders Greater Baltimore Chapter.
• ADP (Automatic Data Processing)coreTechnology or IntegrationSkillforce uses ADP's workforce management platform for time tracking, payroll processing, recruitment, and employee portal. The ADP integration handles job applications, time cards, and HR administration.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Aerotek: Subsidiary of Allegis Group; provides skilled trades staffing alongside broader industrial, technical, and professional placement. Overlaps with Skillforce on construction and industrial craft placements but serves a much wider staffing portfolio.
• PeopleReady: Division of TrueBlue Inc., staffing for skilled trades, general labor, and industrial work. Competes head-on with Skillforce on construction and light-industrial placements, with national branch density and a digital staffing app.
• Onin Staffing: U.S. industrial and skilled trades staffing provider with multi-state branch network. Overlaps Skillforce on construction and industrial placements while also serving broader manufacturing and warehouse labor markets.

Direct peers

• CCS Construction Staffing: Construction-specific staffing firm providing skilled trades (electricians, plumbers, carpenters, welders) on temp and direct-hire bases. Highly comparable business model and customer segment to Skillforce.
• Tradesmen International: Largest U.S. construction skilled-trades staffing company, placing electricians, plumbers, carpenters, welders, and HVAC/millwright talent. Closest direct competitor to Skillforce, with broader national footprint and private-equity backing (CINVEN).
• Construction Recruiters America: Specialty recruiting firm focused exclusively on construction industry placement, including trades and management roles. Comparable in vertical focus and direct-hire/temp mix, though smaller in scale.
• Labor Finders: Specializes in construction, industrial, and skilled trades staffing with multiple U.S. branch offices. Direct competitor for blue-collar and skilled craft placements, similar business model and customer base.

Emerging players

• All Trades Construction Services: Construction labor services firm supplying skilled tradespeople to commercial and industrial contractors. Smaller-scale direct comparable in core trade staffing offerings.
• D.H. Pace Company: Provider of commercial door, dock, and building services including staffing and installation. Partial overlap with construction labor supply, particularly in specialty trades; a niche but adjacent player.

Regional players

• AP Technical Services: Construction and technical staffing provider operating primarily in specific U.S. regions. Comparable business model and target trades but with a more localized geographic focus than Skillforce.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/skillforce-inc
• Xx.com/skillforceinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/skillforce-inc-644858822226312

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Skillforce