Honoring the Best in the Construction Community
The ABC Construction Workforce Awards feature the Craft Instructor of the Year, Craft Professional of the Year, Young Professional of the Year and Health and Safety Professional of the Year. These individuals play critical roles in shaping the future of the construction industry by highlighting construction as a meaningful lifelong career, emphasizing safe work practices and expanding education opportunities.
Award recipients receive a $10,000 cash prize and a feature in Construction Executive magazine. Plus, they will continue to receive national exposure and professional development for years to come.
The nomination season for the 2026 CWA awards will open August 2025. Individual award winners will be announced at the Opening General Session at ABC Convention 2026, March 18, in Salt Lake City.
ABC presents the annual Craft Instructor of the Year Award to an instructor who possesses outstanding creativity, a positive attitude and the ability to transfer knowledge through communications skills and innovative teaching to promote lifelong learning to the future construction workforce.
Nominees must:
- Currently teach a construction trade at an ABC chapter, training affiliate or ABC member firm in good standing
- Be a certified instructor with verification
- Possess a minimum of three continuous years of experience teaching a construction trade (or equivalent instructor experience)
Self-nominations are prohibited, and past winners are not eligible.
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ABC presents the annual Craft Professional of the Year award to a construction craft professional who excels in their field, demonstrates a passion for the trade, exhibits outstanding leadership qualities and demonstrates a commitment to safety, education and the merit shop philosophy.
Nominees must:
- Currently be employed by an ABC member firm in good standing
- Be considered a journeyman with verification
- Spend approximately 90% of their workday using tools and equipment or directly supervising craftspeople using tools. Office, corporate and management personnel, including but not limited to project managers, engineers, sales representatives, estimators and other non-field positions are not eligible for CPOY
Self-nominations are prohibited, and past winners are not eligible.
ABC presents the annual Young Professional of the Year award to an individual under the age of 40 who is dedicated to the merit shop and is a natural leader and top performer in their field, based on career achievement, leadership and vision for the future of the commercial and industrial construction industry.
Nominees must:
- Currently be employed by an ABC member firm in good standing
- Be under the age of 40 as of Dec. 31, 2024
- Secure approval from their supervisor before applying if the nomination was made by an individual outside the nominee's organization (supervisors must email [email protected])
Self-nominations are prohibited, and past winners are not eligible.
ABC presents the inaugural Health & Safety Professional of the Year award to a health and safety professional who excels in their field, demonstrates a commitment to world-class health and safety, is a leader in total human health/mental health and a champion of ABC's STEP® Safety Management System.
Nominees must:
- Currently be employed by an ABC member that participates in the STEP® Safety Management System.
- Spend approximately 75% of their workday on jobsites as a safety professional using technical skills and knowledge (health, safety and environmental).
- Must have five years’ experience in construction health, safety and environment.
Self-nominations are prohibited, and past winners are not eligible.