Newsline

ABC sent a letter to the U.S. Senate in support of the FIRST STEP Act, which was introduced by Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). This bipartisan bill addresses the important issue of prison reform with the goal of lowering recidivism rates by helping incarcerated individuals prepare to reenter their communities.

Updates to equal employment opportunity regulations that apply to all sponsors of apprenticeship programs registered either with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship or a state apprenticeship agency are just around the corner. The final rule updating EEO regulations was issued in 2016 by the Obama administration and went into effect on Jan. 18, 2017; however, some of the provisions were delayed for two years until Jan. 18, 2019. 

Eugene Jowers, a Project JumpStart graduate and employee of ABC member Regional Contracting Services, was featured in a Nov. 2 CNBC segment that also ran on PBS Nightly Business Report highlighting ABC’s efforts to attract more workers to the construction industry. 

National Apprenticeship Week is a week-long celebration that encourages workforce leaders to demonstrate their commitment to apprenticeship and educate those around them. NAW also gives apprenticeship sponsors the opportunity to promote their programs, facilities and apprentices in their respective communities. 

Dwana Grace and Stacia Brightmon, apprentices from ABC member S&B Engineers and Constructors, attended an event at the White House on Oct. 31 to highlight the Pledge to America’s Workers, which continues to gather commitments from the business community to expand workforce development. 

ABC and Construction Executive joined more than 2,300 attendees at Viewpoint’s Collaborate 2018 User Conference, held Oct. 16-18 in Portland, Oregon, where the construction management software company provided three days of in-depth educational sessions and unveiled new software innovations to help construction companies transform their operations, lower risk, gain efficiencies and improve productivity. 

On Oct. 29, ABC announced that Timothy Mongeau has been appointed as director of workforce development. With more than 15 years of experience designing and implementing construction education programs, Mongeau will spearhead ABC’s workforce development strategies and initiatives at the state and local level. Mongeau will also be tasked with creating new opportunities to increase the pipeline of skilled construction professionals and support workforce public policy efforts.

ABC members and chapters have a new tool to engage college students in construction-related degree programs nationwide. A new video shows how the ABC National Student Chapter Network gives faculty members and college students real-world information and experience through membership meetings, guest speakers, internships, community service projects, fundraisers, career fairs, jobsite tours and more.

If you’ve recently been in an airport or watched either the Masters Tournament or the World Series, you’ve probably heard the terms cloud computing, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things. But what do these terms imply for someone working in the construction industry? ABC President and CEO Mike Bellaman invites ABC members to educate themselves about the digital builder of the future by checking out a new book, Precision Construction, available for Kindle today, with print and audiobook versions due out shortly. Sign up 

October is Careers in Construction Month, which creates the perfect opportunity to highlight the many career paths the construction industry provides for people with a variety of experience, education and expertise. And especially given the estimated 500,000 open construction positions in the United States right now, workforce development and filling the skills gap remains a key priority for ABC and its members.