Newsline

October is Careers in Construction Month, creating the perfect opportunity to highlight the many career opportunities within the construction industry—especially given the currently estimated 500,000 open construction positions in the United States. ABC National has developed outreach materials including a draft letter to the editor, social media assets to share and educational resources to help ABC members and volunteers promote Careers in Construction Month in local markets throughout the month.

Sixteen teams of four undergraduate students from colleges and universities nationwide put their construction project leadership skills to the test during ABC’s annual Construction Management Competition at ABC Convention 2018 in Long Beach, Calif. Teams were assigned to manage the completion of the same mock project over two days. First-, second- and third-place awards in five categories were presented to the winners at the Careers in Construction Awards at the convention’s conclusion on March 22. Watch highlights here!

Larry Lopez, president and chief executive officer of Green JobWorks, Baltimore, and chairman of ABC’s Diversity Committee, testified today before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access on how recent economic growth is positively impacting local communities. Lopez outlined how small businesses—which account for the majority of U.S. construction firms—are benefiting because of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and other pro-business policies implemented by Congress and the Trump administration.

ABC member company S & B Engineers and Constructors Ltd. celebrated the grand opening this week of their new Craft Education and Skills Enhancement Center, a 12,500-square-foot education facility that includes three classrooms and five bays for hands-on craft education activities. Located in Baytown, Texas, the facility provides skill enhancement opportunities for S & B’s construction workforce across multiple disciplines, including welding, pipefitting, electrical, millwright, civil and rigging, carpentry, crane operating, ironworking, scaffolding and safety. 

On Sept.13, ABC sent a letter to the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee to voice support for Tax Reform 2.0 legislation, which would build on the successes of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act by providing permanency to the nation’s tax code and certainty for ABC member companies and their employees. The committee passed the bill on a party-line vote of 21-15, and it is expected to receive a vote on the House floor later this month. 

On Aug. 30, the U.S. Department of Labor launched apprenticeship.gov, a digital platform designed to bring together workers in search of apprenticeship programs and the employers offering these opportunities across multiple industries.

During its third annual Build Your Future Scholarship program, NCCER awarded scholarships of $2,000 each to 10 students who are pursuing craft professional education in the construction industry. NCCER and ABC’s Trimmer Construction Education Fund partner annually to present the scholarships to the top students attending an NCCER-accredited program or a state or federally-approved apprenticeship program in a merit shop training facility. 

ABC of Florida signed on to President Trump’s “Pledge to America’s Workers” at an event celebrating career and technical education in Tampa, Florida, yesterday, committing to educating and developing at least 5,000 construction workers over the next five years. ABC members attended the president’s speech on workforce development at Tampa Bay Technical High School and participated in a roundtable discussion with area business leaders convened by the White House to highlight the need to expand apprenticeship programs.

ABC praised Congress and the administration for passing a bipartisan reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, one of the key federal programs that supports vocational education programs that align with local workforce needs and lead to industry-recognized credentials.

On behalf of ABC, Mike Holland, chief operating officer, MAREK Companies, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions about the need to modernize and expand apprenticeship opportunities in the United States.