Archives for April 2025

Texas is poised for a transformative year in construction in 2025, with a surge of major projects across sectors like infrastructure, energy, healthcare, and technology. This boom is driven by population growth, corporate investments, and the state’s business-friendly climate. As these developments unfold, Certis Solutions stands ready to support them with specialized workforce solutions tailored to the construction, engineering, and environmental industries.

Major Construction Projects Launching in Texas in 2025

1. GigaPop Data Center – Red Oak

A $1 billion, 800,000-square-foot data center named GigaPop is set to begin construction in early 2025. This facility will cater to the growing demand for cloud and AI data processing, requiring up to 540 MW of power.

2. X-energy & Dow Nuclear Project – Seadrift

In a groundbreaking initiative, X-energy and Dow are collaborating to build North America’s first grid-scale advanced nuclear reactor at Dow’s Seadrift Operations site. The project will feature four Xe-100 small modular reactors, delivering a total of 320 MW of electricity and high-temperature steam, aiming to power Dow’s manufacturing site entirely with clean nuclear energy.

3. UT Health Clinic & Parking Garage – San Antonio

Construction is set to begin in July 2025 on a new UT Health San Antonio clinic and parking garage at The Rock at La Cantera. The project includes a 60,000-square-foot medical office and a 75,000-square-foot parking structure, focusing on sports medicine and advanced imaging.

4. $100 Million Mixed-Use Project – San Antonio

Phoenix Property Co. plans to build 342 apartments, a parking garage, and 10,000 square feet of commercial space near The Rock at La Cantera, with construction starting in early 2025. 

5. EPIC City – Collin & Hunt Counties

EPIC City is a master-planned Islamic community-centered residential development spanning 402 acres near Josephine, Texas. The project includes over 1,000 residential units, a mosque, educational institutions, and commercial facilities, aiming to create a diverse and inclusive community.

How Certis Solutions Supports Texas’s 2025 Construction Boom

Certis Solutions brings over 70 years of combined industry experience to address the workforce challenges accompanying Texas’s construction surge. Specializing in technical staffing for construction, engineering, environmental, energy, and emergency management sectors, Certis offers:

• Comprehensive Workforce Solutions
  
  Providing skilled professionals for vertical and horizontal construction projects, including general and heavy civil engineering, MEP, structural, and geotechnical disciplines.
  
• Energy Sector Expertise
  
  Supplying talent for renewable and alternative energy projects, as well as petroleum and natural gas sectors, ensuring that energy infrastructure projects like the GigaPop data center and X-energy’s nuclear initiative have the necessary human resources.
  
• Environmental and Emergency Services
  
  Offering services in remediation, restoration, hazardous materials management, and emergency response, crucial for projects requiring environmental compliance and disaster preparedness.
  
• Government and Infrastructure Projects
  
  Supporting government-led initiatives with engineering, environmental services, and emergency management, aiding in the successful execution of large-scale infrastructure projects.
  

By addressing “time on job” constraints and enhancing market agility, Certis enables clients to bid on more projects and improve organizational efficiency.

Advance Your Projects with Certis Solutions

As Texas embarks on a year of significant construction activity in 2025, the demand for skilled labor and specialized workforce solutions will be paramount. Certis Solutions stands as a strategic partner, ready to meet these demands and contribute to the successful realization of Texas’s ambitious projects.

For more information on how Certis Solutions can support your construction and engineering projects, contact us today.

California’s construction industry is booming with major developments across infrastructure, housing, and sustainability. Projects like the Foothill Gold Line Extension in Los Angeles County and the $300 million in statewide roadway improvements highlight the surge in transportation infrastructure. At the same time, large-scale housing initiatives such as Sacramento’s Innovation Park and mixed-use developments like the $425 million Costco project address the state’s urgent housing needs. Environmental projects, including the Cornucopia Hybrid clean energy facility in Fresno and the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, showcase California’s commitment to sustainability. These initiatives reflect the ongoing demand for skilled AEC professionals and underscore the crucial role of construction staffing agencies in keeping pace with rapid growth.

Despite the growth, this labor crunch is far from new. Construction firms throughout California have long struggled to find highly qualified AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) professionals. The challenge has only intensified post-pandemic.

So how are project managers meeting this demand while maintaining timelines, budgets, and quality standards?

Construction Staffing Agencies: A Strategic Hiring Ally

With the continuous rise in construction projects statewide, staffing needs have become increasingly urgent. Project delays due to unfilled roles can significantly impact budgets and delivery schedules. That’s where construction staffing agencies come in — offering quick, cost-effective, and reliable access to licensed and specialized AEC professionals.

5 Reasons to Partner With a Construction Staffing Agency in California

1. Access a Robust Talent Pool of AEC Professionals

Top-tier staffing agencies like Certis Solutions maintain a curated network of experienced professionals across multiple sectors — from civil engineers and project managers to estimators and environmental specialists. This breadth enables recruiters to quickly match candidates to your project’s specific needs.

2. Get Pre-Vetted, Licensed, and Specialized Workers

Certis exclusively works with AEC professionals who are licensed to operate in California and bring deep, project-specific expertise. Say goodbye to time-consuming background checks — every candidate is already vetted for qualifications and compliance.

This includes professionals across verticals such as

• Construction
• Engineering
• Architectural Design
• Environmental and Emergency Services

3. Reduce Costs With Project-Based Staffing Solutions

Why commit to full-time hires when your project needs are temporary or seasonal? Staffing agencies offer flexibility by filling roles on a per-project basis, helping you:

• Cut job posting and HR administration costs
• Avoid long-term payroll and benefit obligations
• Streamline hiring without sacrificing quality

4. Accelerate Hiring Without Sacrificing Quality

Finding the right candidate often takes months — time most project managers don’t have. Staffing agencies drastically reduce hiring timelines by:

• Handling resume screening and interview scheduling
• Managing compliance paperwork
• Quickly presenting qualified candidates who are ready to work

5. Enjoy a Seamless, Stress-Free Hiring Process

At Certis, every candidate is vetted before they’re even presented to you. This makes your hiring process smoother and more efficient by minimizing unqualified leads and wasted interview time.

Certis Solutions: Your Trusted Partner for AEC Staffing in California

Certis Solutions has spent years supporting California’s leading construction firms. Our dedicated team understands the urgency, precision, and expertise required to deliver construction projects on time and on budget.

Here’s how we work:

1. You share project details (scope, timeline, required roles)
2. We match your needs with highly qualified AEC professionals
3. You get to focus on execution while we handle staffing logistics

Whether you’re managing one project or overseeing several, Certis delivers tailored staffing support at every stage.

Ready to Fill Your Project Gaps?

If you’re navigating increased demand and need reliable staffing solutions, let’s talk. Certis is ready to help you build the team that gets the job done — on time, every time.

Contact us today to learn more or get started.

As the sun continues to shine on California’s renewable energy ambitions, a new wave of large-scale solar projects is underway in 2025. With billions in investments and thousands of acres under development, these projects are set to redefine the state’s energy landscape and open new frontiers for AEC professionals eager to ride the green infrastructure wave.

Here’s a closer look at the standout projects and the professional opportunities they present.

The Projects Powering the Future

1. Bellefield 2 Solar & Energy Storage Project – Kern County

• Capacity: 500 MW solar + 500 MW/2,000 MWh battery storage
• Developer: Intersect Power
• Location: Near the city of Delano in the Westlands CREZ zone
• Notable: One of the largest planned solar + storage hybrids in the Western U.S.

With its sheer size and integration complexity, Bellefield 2 is a magnet for civil engineers, electrical planners, and grid interconnection specialists. The scope includes multi-phase construction sequencing, utility-scale transmission planning, and robust quality control systems—all areas where AEC firms can deliver mission-critical value.

2. Lycan Solar Project – San Bernardino County

• Capacity: 350 MW solar with future battery storage capabilities
• Developer: Avantus (formerly 8 minute Solar Energy)
• Location: Mojave Desert region, adjacent to existing solar farms
• Environmental Approval: Fast-tracked via CEQA streamlining

Site grading and erosion control in desert conditions will require precision civil design. Environmental engineers, land-use planners, and stormwater experts will be in high demand. With an eye toward workforce diversity, Avantus has also committed to inclusive hiring practices—offering workforce development teams a major platform to collaborate.

3. Kingsley Solar Farm – Kings County

• Capacity: 320 MW solar + optional 160 MW battery storage
• Developer: EDF Renewables North America
• Notable: Located in California’s Central Valley on underutilized farmland

The Kingsley project brings a strong need for agricultural land re-use planning, civil site engineering, and PV system layout optimization. Engineers will be needed to address water runoff and compacted soil, while designers will shape how energy infrastructure coexists with former ag operations.

4. Juniper Creek Battery Storage – Riverside County

• Capacity: 400 MW / 1,600 MWh
• Developer: Terra-Gen
• Notable: Standalone grid-scale battery facility supporting multiple solar generators in the region

This project opens the door for electrical engineers, MEP contractors, and thermal safety experts to pioneer the next generation of battery storage systems. With lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in play, construction firms familiar with high-capacity enclosures, HVAC integration, and fire suppression systems will be key contributors.

Key Benefits and Opportunities for AEC Professionals

1. Sustained Workstream Across Disciplines

From surveying and permitting to electrical system design and civil infrastructure, each of these projects requires multi-year engagement across a variety of professional roles. Firms specializing in:

• Civil site development
• Utility-scale solar design
• Energy storage systems
• Environmental impact studies

…will find fertile ground for contracts and partnerships.

2. Climate-Resilient Design Innovation

With California’s extreme heat and drought conditions, AEC professionals have the chance to innovate in climate-resilient design, from cooling PV panel installations to dust control through smart landscaping. These elements not only serve sustainability goals but also create distinctive project portfolios.

3. New Roles in Agrivoltaics and Dual-Use Land Planning

Projects like Cornucopia are pioneering agrivoltaic integration, creating roles for architects, planners, and engineers to rethink traditional land use. Cross-disciplinary collaboration between agricultural scientists and site engineers is likely to increase.

4. Government Support Means Faster Approvals

Recent legislation and executive orders (such as CEQA fast-tracking for renewable projects) reduce bureaucratic delays, offering AEC firms a faster route from design to build, and a more predictable cash flow cycle.

How Certis Solutions Can Help Power California’s Solar Future

As California accelerates its commitment to clean energy infrastructure, the need for specialized AEC talent grows more urgent with every project approval. That’s where Certis Solutions steps in.

With deep expertise in staffing for architecture, engineering, and construction, Certis Solutions helps project owners, EPC firms, and developers source, vet, and deploy top-tier professionals who are ready to take on the unique challenges of utility-scale solar and storage projects.

What Certis Offers:

• 🎯 Targeted Talent Matching

From civil engineers and electrical designers to project schedulers and QA/QC inspectors, Certis taps into a curated talent pool of solar-savvy professionals.

• 🚀 Rapid Deployment for Fast-Tracked Projects

With California expediting environmental approvals, timelines are tighter than ever. Certis ensures agile staffing solutions that keep your projects on schedule and on budget.

• 🛠️ Full Lifecycle Support

Whether you need design-phase consultants or site-based construction crews, Certis provides staffing across every phase of the project lifecycle.

• 🌱 Alignment with Sustainability Goals

Certis works with candidates and partners who are not only technically qualified, but also committed to advancing clean energy and environmental stewardship.

As projects like Bellefield 2 and Lycan gear up, having the right people in place will determine success. Certis Solutions is your strategic staffing partner for the solar transformation ahead, contact us today.