Storm's cost may hit $50B; rebuilding to ease blow

[Posteritatis]

4. Results in a lot of people with a lot of different types of experience, too

Someone who pitches in as a labourer for some of the repair work there, spends a year or two on that (because it's gotta take at least that long even in NY)? Given the economy, they still won't be in "write your own ticket" territory afterwards, but they'll have opportunities they wouldn't have before.

I did a couple years in the restoration industry myself (white collar, not blue); there was always a cyclical wave of hiring during the major storm seasons here. Small core of permanent labour staff and about a six-month turnover from the newer guys, who'd usually pass on from restoration to less weather-dependant work after some time there getting some money and some reference credentials. I'd see quite a few guys come in as basic general-labour hammermonkey types, and six months later they'd be taking on an apprenticeship with one of the subtrades or what-have-you.

Disaster work is anything but stable, but it can kickstart things for some guys who need a paycheck or want to start getting experience.