Matt Abeles, ABC vice president of construction technology and innovation, sits down with Autodesk University host Eric Thomas to talk about the ABC Tech Alliance and how it is revolutionizing the construction industry, making everyone safer along the way.

Safety training, education and professional development are all critical to a top-performing company. These investments can powerfully shape culture, reinforce expectations, provide valuable feedback and equip the workforce to meet or exceed expectations. When people are engaged and equipped in a way that is meaningful to them, they will choose to work safely because they want to. And they will continue to do so if they are supported with proper planning and resources. This creates a strong and effective health and safety culture.

On Sept. 8, Rep. Rick Allen, R-Ga., a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, introduced the ABC-supported Truth in Employment Act, H.R. 5178. This legislation would amend the National Labor Relations Act to protect small businesses and their employees from the coercive tactic used by big unions known as “salting,” which makes small businesses targets of harassment campaigns designed to increase forced unionization.

On Aug. 26, ABC submitted comments on the U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed rule on apprenticeship programs, which initially excludes the construction industry and the military from provisions intended to expand apprenticeships and close America’s skills gap.

The Construction Industry Needs to Hire an Additional 440,000 Workers in 2019 

Chuck Goodrich, president of Gaylor Electric, Inc., explained the Trump administration’s regulatory rollback is giving construction companies more efficiency and they don’t feel like they are “under attack” from the federal government. According to Goodrich’s presentation, experts say President Trump is on pace to put out fewer rules than the “reigning deregulation champion,” President Ronald Reagan.

In its survey of Florida construction firms for the third quarter of 2017, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) finds the confidence to fill open positions over the next six months remains low. Continued hurricane rebuilding efforts will likely exacerbate the challenge to find enough skilled labor in Florida to meet the level of project demand. Confidence in other areas of the survey remains high.

ABC President and CEO Mike Bellaman made a live appearance on Fox Business Network's "Varney & Co." show on October 17th. The one-on-one interview focused on the U.S. Department of Labor's Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion that Bellaman was appointed to the day before. Watch a clip of Bellaman's appearance here.

The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, was introduced in the Committee on Education and the Workforce by Reps. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) on May 4. The ABC-supported legislation would provide more access to valuable career and technical education (CTE) programs and ensure these programs are aligned with in-demand jobs, including construction.

ABC congratulated the winners of its 30th annual National Craft Championships competition during the March 3 Careers in Constructions awards held during the association’s Workforce Week Conference, Feb, 28-March 3, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

ABC announced three finalists for its annual Young Professional of the Year Award on Oct. 26. Finalists were chosen based on their career achievement, leadership and vision for the future of the commercial and industrial construction industry from a field of more than 30 nominations representing 20 ABC chapters across the country.

ABC of Michigan secured an important victory for electricians when Gov. Rick Snyder (R-Mich.) signed industry-backed Public Act 73  of 2016 on April 5. ABC of Michigan advocated for the legislation, which will increase the ratio from one to three apprentices per one journeyman electrician through an amendment of the Electrical Administrative Act. State Rep. Amanda Price (R-Holland) introduced the bill in January in response to a court decision in 2008 that lifted an injunction and cleared the way for a one-to-one ratio to be implemented. 

ABC congratulated the winners of its 2016 National Craft Championships competition during the March 4 Careers in Constructions awards held during the association’s Workforce Development Conference, March 1-4, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 

If there’s one thing we can do collectively to advance our industry, it is to ensure that we continue to attract and retain talented people to meet the nation’s ever-increasing construction needs. October is Careers in Construction Month, and ABC is highlighting programs that promote life-long learning experience—and national recognition based on achievement at every level.

The next time you renew your membership in ABC, you will see an added contribution on your invoice for the Trimmer Construction Education Foundation (TCEF). Trimmer is ABC’s partner to help expand our skilled workforce and the affiliated 501(c)3 nonprofit organization is a critical part of ABC’s commitment to expand merit shop training programs and promote construction careers.

Do your apprentices and craft trainees have what it takes to win the national title of ABC Craft Champion? The 2016 National Craft Championships (NCC) is accepting competitor applications now.

Contractors looking to enhance their employees’ project management skills can enroll them to take part in the ABC Project Management Institute held at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. The course includes two non-concurrent five-day sessions providing the students with tools to improve profitability and productivity and increase quality and customer satisfaction.

This fall, ABC is bringing back its annual Construction Management Career fair Nov. 11 in San Diego, where ABC members will have the opportunity to recruit from some of the leading construction management programs from around the country. 

In front of a sold-out crowd of more than 41,000 people, the 2015 National Craft Champions stood on the Washington Nationals field July 3 and were honored for their hard work as trained craftsmen. The crowd cheered them on while the ABC logo spread across the stadium, showcasing the theme of the night—free enterprise and freedom.

As part of a coalition, ABC submitted comments June 15 to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and U.S. Department of Education (DOE) on proposed rules for the implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). ABC and the coalition offered its input in a number of areas where the public workforce system under WIOA can be better aligned with the needs of employers.

The Trimmer Construction Education Foundation (TCEF) announced the Build Your Future scholarship June 10 which offers a financial reward to anyone who is currently pursuing craft professional training in the construction industry through a NCCER-accredited program or a state- or federally-approved apprenticeship program in a merit-shop training facility. 

During the Careers in Construction Awards Ceremony March 6, ABC recognized Holley Thomas, a foreman for KBR, Houston, Texas, as its 2015 Craft Professional of the Year and Jonathan Sacks, transmission and distribution training manager for Cianbro, Pittsfield, Maine, as its 2015 Craft Instructor of the Year. The awards were presented during ABC’s Workforce Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 

ABC congratulated the winners in its 2015 National Craft Championships competition during the March 6 Careers in Constructions awards held during the association’s Workforce Development, March 3-6, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 

The Trimmer Construction Education Foundation (TCEF) re-launched its auction and now you can bid on some of the top items from your phone. The funds go to TCEF, a non-profit, charitable organization that funds efforts to train and retain the construction industry workforce through grants, scholarships and financially supporting annual ABC competitions and awards. Auction items include golf packages, beach vacations, Texas-style BBQ, cases of wine and much more. 

Can’t make it to the Workforce Conference in Florida next month? Send one of your employees instead and they can learn more about best practices in the industry, network with their peers throughout the country and bring back information to implement in the office or in the field. The conference will take place March 3-6 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and offers sessions for employees of all levels of expertise and focuses on education for mechanical and electrical contractors, business and project managers, safety professionals and workforce development professionals.