ABC Indiana/Kentucky Presents 2023 Excellence in Construction Awards

By Building Excellence | Originally posted on dxc.news

The Associated Builders and Contractors of Indiana/Kentucky (ABC) proudly celebrate the excellence achieved by their member companies each year through the prestigious Excellence in Construction Awards. This annual event not only acknowledges exceptional projects, but also serves as a powerful catalyst for increasing community awareness regarding the outstanding work delivered by Merit Shop contractors and their dedicated teams.

Moreover, the Excellence in Construction competition stands as a testament to the unwavering commitment to excellence within the ABC community. ABC’s Award of Excellence in Construction is a tribute to the collective talent and ingenuity of the entire project team, which includes the contractor, owner, architect, and engineer. These recipients distinguish themselves through their exceptional achievements in innovation, quality, effective communication, and unwavering commitment to safety.

The grand culmination of this journey takes place at ABC’s highly anticipated Excellence in Construction Awards Gala. This prestigious event unfolded amidst the splendid ambiance of the Indiana Roof Ballroom on the evening of September 26, where deserving winners were unveiled, celebrating the pinnacle of construction excellence.

Awards of Excellence

Commercial Under $3 Million
  • Project: Industrious at the Stutz
  • Award Recipients: Inherent Commercial LLC, Somera Road, DB Partners
  • Subcontractors: KTI Mechanical Construction, Robert D. Young Construction, Inc.
Commercial $3 Million to $6 Million
  • Project: Aspire Additions and Renovations
  • Award Recipients: Wurster Construction, Aspire, Artekna
  • Subcontractors: Design and Build Electrical, Robert D. Young Inc., Comfort Systems USA, Lee Company Inc., Horning Roofing and Sheet Metal, Caulking Specialists Co.
Commercial $6 Million to $10 Million
  • Project: The Club at Olde Stone
  • Award Recipients: Scott, Murphy & Daniel, Jim Scott, MHK Architecture & Planning
  • Subcontractors: Scotty’s Contracting and Stone LLC, D&M Electric, Stewart Richey Construction, Inc.
Commercial $10 Million to $25 Million
  • Project: Broad Ripple Park Family Center
  • Award Recipients: Meyer Najem Construction, Avenue Development, arcDESIGN
  • Subcontractors: Berline Construction, Baumgartner & Company Asphalt, Capitol City Fence, ERMCO, Integrity Fire Protection, Denny Excavating, Inc., Engineering Facades/Proclad
Electrical, Commercial Under $3 Million
  • Project: Murfreesboro Medical Center
  • Award Recipients: Lee Company, Murfreesboro Medical Center, Rob McKelvey
  • Subcontractors: Tennessee Underground, ACT Fire Alarm
Electrical, Commercial $3 Million to $10 Million
  • Project: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
  • Award Recipients: Gaylor Electric, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Weddle Bros Construction
  • Subcontractors: N/A
Electrical, Commercial Over $10 Million
  • Project: Mission Foods
  • Award Recipients: Gaylor Electric, Mission Foods, Lauth Construction
  • Subcontractors: N/A
Electrical, Industrial Over $20 Million
  • Project: KCVG Air Ramp Expansion
  • Award Recipients: Gaylor Electric, Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, Amazon
  • Subcontractors: N/A
Federal Government – Military Under $10 Million
  • Project: Repair Hydrant Tanks 1-2 and 2-1
  • Award Recipients: CMS Corporation, US Air Force, Andersen AFB, Griffith Engineering Services
  • Subcontractors: Guam Marine Services, Inc., Industrial Hygiene Professionals, Inc., Kinden Corporation, Valcon Guam, LLC
Federal Government – Military Over $10 Million
  • Project: Renovate – Expand Hangar 6 Building 18110
  • Award Recipients: CMS Corporation, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam
  • Subcontractors: Amorient Contracting, Inc., Core Tech International Corp., Environmental Chemical Corporation, Hawaiian Rock Products, J&RS Equipment Company, Landscape Management Systems, Inc., M-80 Systems, Inc., Neudorfer Engineers, VG Gozum Construction, LLC
Healthcare $3 Million to $10 Million
  • (Excellence in Merit Shop Construction)
  • Project: Jane Todd Crawford Hospital
  • Award Recipients: Green Mechanical Construction, Inc., Jane Todd Crawford Hospital, JRA Architects, Matt Key – Project Manager
  • Subcontractors: HMC Services, Minco
Healthcare $10 Million to $25 Million
  • Project: Legacy Living of Florence
  • Award Recipients: Wurster Construction, Inc., OMS
  • Subcontractors: Ideal Heating and Air Conditioning, Creative Image BMP, Browning Chapman, Capitol City Fence, M.J. Schuetz Insurance Services
Historical Renovation Under $3 Million
  • Project: Samara House
  • Award Recipients: Brandt Construction, Inc., John E. Christian Memorial Trust (Indiana Landmarks), Harboe Architects, PC
  • Subcontractors: Biancofiori Masonry, Inc., Maxwell Electrical Services, Inc., WINCO Construction Company, Inc.
Historical Renovation $3 Million to $10 Million
  • Project: Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site
  • Award Recipients: Brandt Construction, Inc., Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, RATIO Architects, LLC
  • Subcontractors: E.F. Marburger Fine Flooring, Baumgartner & Company Asphalt Services, Capitol City Fence Co., Inc., Executive Elevator, Hillhaus & Mulligan, Inc., Lehman’s Mechanical Contractors, WINCO Construction Company, Inc.
Historical Renovation Over $10 Million
  • Project: St. Joseph Children’s Home Renovation
  • Award Recipients: Kelley Construction, Inc., St. Joseph Children’s Home, Stengel-Hill Architecture
  • Subcontractors: Dine Company, Inc., The Restaurant Store, Flynn Brothers Contracting, Inc., KV Flooring
Industrial Under $3 Million
  • Project: United Animal Health Addition Replacement
  • Award Recipients: Steinberger Construction, United Animal Health, KJG Architecture, Inc.
  • Subcontractors: N/A
Industrial $3 Million to $10 Million
  • Project: Aluminum Insights
  • Award Recipients: Ancon Construction Co., Inc., Aluminum Insights
  • Subcontractors: Dilling Group, Inc., Hill Excavation, Inc., LeMaster Steel Erectors, Middlebury Electric, Inc., Niblock Excavating, Inc.
Industrial $10 Million to $25 Million
  • Project: Louisville Renaissance Zone Corporation Warehouse
  • Award Recipients: Kelley Construction, Inc., Louisville Renaissance Zone Corporation, Andrew Churchill Architect
  • Subcontractors: Advance Ready-Mix Concrete, Inc., BJB, Inc., First Choice Commercial Services, Padgett, Inc., Wallace Company, Inc.
Industrial Over $25 Million
  • (Excellence in Merit Shop Construction)
  • Project: Clemens Hatfield North
  • Award Recipients: Gray, Clemens Food Group, Gray AE, PSC
  • Subcontractors: N/A
Infrastructure Under $6 Million
  • Project: Origin Park Canoe Launches
  • Award Recipients: MAC Construction, River Heritage Conservancy, Qk4, Inc.
  • Subcontractors: LA Surety Solution, LLC, McGridd Insurance Services
Institutional Under $3 Million
  • Project: Marian University – The Alumni House at Allison Mansion
  • Award Recipients: Brandt Construction, Inc., Marian University, Schmidt Associates
  • Subcontractors: E.F. Marburger Fine Flooring, Executive Elevator, Hillhouse & Mulligan, Inc.
Institutional $3 Million to $10 Million
  • Project: Carmel Clay Community Building
  • Award Recipients: Myers Construction Management, Inc., Carmel Clay Community Bldg., DLZ
  • Subcontractors: M.J. Schuetz Insurance Services, Artisan Masonry, Inc., Ritchie Finishes
Mechanical Under $2 Million
  • Project: The Orthopedic Center
  • Award Recipients: Lee Company, The Orthopedic Center, Champan Sissons
  • Subcontractors: N/A
Mechanical $5 Million to $10 Million
  • Project: Nashville Record Pressing
  • Award Recipients: Lee Company, Nashville Record Pressing, Crossroads Architecture
  • Subcontractors: Insulating Services, Inc., Ferguson Enterprises
Non-Historical Renovation Under $3 Million
  • Project: Granger Dental and Orthodontics
  • Award Recipients: Ancon Construction Co., Inc., Our Best Life Companies
  • Subcontractors: Pierce Electric, Hill Excavation, Fuerbringer Landscaping and Design
Non-Historical Renovation $3 Million to $10 Million
  • Project: Goodwill Academy
  • Award Recipients: Ancon Construction Co., Inc., Goodwill Industries of Michiana, Inc.
  • Subcontractors: Gaylor Electric, Inc.
Non-Historical Renovation Over $10 Million
  • Project: Repair Kittyhawk Dorms, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
  • Award Recipients: CMS Corporation, US Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, Burgess & Niple
  • Subcontractors: Allied Fence Builders, Calvin Electric LLC, R.C. Hemm Glass Shops, Inc., Satellite Shelters, Inc., Tradesman International, Vandalia Rental, Waste Management
Other Specialty
  • Project: Hardwood Forest Drive Slide Correction – Design/Build
  • Award Recipients: MAC Construction, Louisville Jefferson County Metro Government, Qk4, Inc., Atlas, Cornerstone Engineering, Inc.
  • Subcontractors: Saf-Ti-Co, Inc., LA Surety Solution LLC, McGriff Insurance Services
Pre-Engineered Buildings
  • Project: Miller Transportation
  • Award Recipients: T&W Corporation, Gary Miller, Keith Gary
  • Subcontractors: Globe Asphalt Paving Co.
Public Works/Environmental $3 Million to $10 Million
  • Project: Inovateus Solar DePue
  • Award Recipients: Gaylor Electric, Inovateus Solar LLC
  • Subcontractors: N/A
Public Works/Environmental $10 Million to $25 Million
  • Project: Jefferson CSO Storage
  • Award Recipients: MAC Construction, Jeffersonville Sewer Board, Jacobi, Toombs, and Lanz, Inc.
  • Subcontractors: Allterrain Paving and Construction, LA Surety Solution, LLC, McGriff Insurance Services
Site Work
  • Project: Camp Run Parkway Extension
  • Award Recipients: MAC Construction, Town of Sellersburg, Jacobi, Toombs, and Lanz, Inc.
  • Subcontractors: LA Surety Solution, LLC, McGriff Insurance Services

Awards of Merit

Commercial Under $3 Million
  • Project: Wag’n Tails Corporate Office
  • Award Recipients: Ancon Construction Co., Inc., Wag’n Tails
  • Subcontractors: Fuerbringer Landscaping & Design, Pierce Electric, KCC Manufacturing, Koorsen Fire
Commercial $3 Million to $6 Million
  • Project: Redline Flats
  • Award Recipients: Inherent Commercial LLC, Midtown Development Partners II LLC, Studio M Architecture & Planning
  • Subcontractors: KTI Mechanical Constructors, Caulking Specialists Company, Engineered Facades, McComb Window & Door Co. Inc., Robert D. Young Construction, Inc., Skyline Roofing & Sheet Metal Co., Inc.
Commercial $6 Million to $10 Million
  • Project: 500W
  • Award Recipients: Miranda Construction LLC, Somera Road, Earl Swensson Associates
  • Subcontractors: KV Flooring, Palmer Roofing & Sheet Metal, Bailey Safety
Commercial $10 Million to $25 Million
  • Project: Eight Eleven Group Corporate HQ
  • Award Recipients: Meyer Najem Construction, Eight Eleven Group, Studio M
  • Subcontractors: Geiger & Peters, Inc., Acoustics Plus, Fredericks, Inc., Ryan Fire Protection, Ferrer Mechanical Services, Design & Build Electric, KTI Mechanical Constructors, Kenny Glass
Electrical, Commercial Under $3 Million
  • Project: Clubhouse Holliday Farms
  • Award Recipients: Gaylor Electric, Shiel Sexton
  • Subcontractors: N/A
Electrical, Industrial Over $20 Million
  • Project: Sealy Tempur-Pedic
  • Award Recipients: Gaylor Electric, Shiel Sexton, Sealy Corporation
  • Subcontractors: N/A
Federal Government – Military Under $10 Million
  • Project: Clean and Repair Tanks at AUTEC, Bahamas
  • Award Recipients: CMS Corporation, Specialty Tank Services
  • Subcontractors: Customized Mechanical Solutions, LLC
Healthcare $10 Million to $25 Million
  • Project: The Belmont Health and Rehabilitation
  • Award Recipients: Brandt Construction Inc., Magnolia Health Systems, AET, Inc.
  • Subcontractors: E.F. Marburger Fine Flooring, Hillhouse & Mulligan, Inc., Maxwell Electrical Services, Inc., McComb Window & Door Co., Inc., P.I.P.E., Inc.
Institutional $3 Million to $10 Million
  • Project: St. Christopher Catholic Parish Additions & Renovations
  • Award Recipients: Wurster Construction, Inc., krM Architecture, St. Christopher Parish
  • Subcontractors: Mechanical Contracting Services, Global Asphalt Paving Co., Design & Build Electric, E.F. Marburger Fine Flooring, Capitol City Fencing Co., Architectural Walls
Mechanical Under $2 Million
  • Project: Milhaus Corporation HQ
  • Award Recipients: Mechanical Contracting Services, Inc., Kort Builders, Inc., Milhaus
  • Subcontractors: N/A
Mechanical $5 Million to $10 Million
  • Project: BG2
  • Award Recipients: Lee Company, BG
  • Subcontractors: N/A
Non-Historical Renovation Under $3 Million
  • Project: Corporate Office Renovation
  • Award Recipients: T&W Corporation, Melinda McGee, U.S. Architects
  • Subcontractors: Clawson Communications, Ellis Mechanical, IWP Inc., Globe Asphalt and Paving Co., Little Construction Co. Inc., Capitol City Fence

Tips for leading a multigenerational team

By NRCA | Originally posted on nrca.net

Associated Builders and Contractors reported in 2022 that more than one in five construction workers currently are older than 55. As companies work to recruit young workers to help combat the industry’s labor shortage, it is important leaders understand how to manage and lead multigenerational teams.

According to Inc., a generationally diverse team can offer different perspectives, training and experience, which can lead to powerful results when handled well.

Inc. offers the following three tips to help you successfully lead a multigenerational team.

  1. Focus on inclusion. Age-related inclusivity requires a deliberate willingness to build healthy relationships between you and your team members. You must set the example by opening lines of communication when you interact with all team members. When you use conversations to set a tone of inclusivity and openness, it encourages your team to do the same.
  2. Study your team. You need to be able to analyze your team members and assess how employees of different ages fit at your company. Study the strengths, weaknesses and nuances of younger and older generations, and compare and contrast priorities and tendencies; your insights can help you include and validate everyone on your team.
  3. Do not play favorites. It can be difficult to approach a situation without seeing it from your generation’s point of view. It takes practice, but you can start by acknowledging you are part of one of those age groups. Then, you need to work to consciously shut down your natural tendency to play favorites within your age group.
Happy Construction Worker

Building the Future: How to Attract Gen Z to the Construction and Utilities Industry

By MSW Magazine | Originally posted on mswmag.com

A new study shows America is failing to prepare future workers for high-paying construction careers. According to the Associated Builders and Contractors, construction had 366,000 job openings by the end of May this year. The results come as Generation Z — those born from the mid-1990s to the early 2010s — are rapidly becoming a significant portion of the workforce. The construction sector must learn how to attract this generation.

new workforce study by the Associated General Contractors and Autodesk shows that the nation is failing to showcase the many high-paying construction careers available, and that 85% of construction firms report they have open positions they are trying to fill. The problems are exasperated by data showing that a shocking 68% report that applicants applying for jobs lack the basic skills needed and that one-third can’t pass a drug test.

The data shows that contractors from all sectors, including building construction, highway and transportation projects, federal and heavy work, and utility infrastructure, all face the same problems — and that is true for companies of all sizes, in all regions of the country.

But why? Generation Z is one of the most creative, technologically skilled and entrepreneurial groups to enter the workforce. Construction, with its variety of technology-based positions and need for innovation, should be a perfect fit for Generation Z.

The problem could be that we as a nation have told students they need to go to college and get an advanced degree to be successful. This has discouraged young workers from even considering a career in construction. The aging workforce in most areas of construction highlights the problem. AGC stated that it will fight to increase funds for construction trades, noting that our nation currently invests five times as much in encouraging students to enroll in college as it does preparing them for careers in craft fields like construction.

“It is time to rethink the way the nation educates and prepares workers,” says Ken Simonson, AGC chief economist.

This is some promising news from the study. To attract younger workers, 63% are using online outlets like social media and contractors are 41% increasing internal training programs to help potential applicants with the needed skills to be successful. In addition, 25% are enhancing their online and video training and 14% are using augmented and virtual reality technology to better train workers.

Digital skills are essential for jobs in the construction industry, which is good news for tech savvy, Generation Z. A whopping 91% of respondents said that digital skills are essential to be successful. And nearly two-thirds of respondents said that about half the candidates possess the needed technology skills, which indicates Gen Z applicants are likely to be highly sought and valued.

“This is what’s so interesting and exciting about the opportunities a career in construction can provide — on a personal note, most of the jobs that I have had in this industry did not previously exist when I first arrived,” says Allison Scott from Autodesk. “And in 20 more years, we’re going to have even more roles that embrace and intertwine technology in ways we cannot even fathom right now.”

As the construction industry adapts more technology along with outreach on social media and more training programs, the hope is that future generations see this industry as an exciting and innovative career path.

Related: Thompson Pump – An Industry Leader in Compressor-Assisted Sewer Bypass

“Combined with our other efforts to attract and retain workers, we are confident that investing in construction education will help solve worker shortages in this sector,” says Simonson.

Here are some ways you can start attracting Generation Z today:

Emphasize technology and innovation

Contrary to traditional views of construction, today’s industry is tech-savvy and innovative. Gen Z, having grown up with smartphones and the internet, is perfectly poised to navigate this new frontier. By highlighting the use of drones for site surveys, virtual reality for project visualization and Building Information Modeling for design and management, the industry can appeal to the tech-oriented aspirations of this generation.

Engage early through internships and partnerships

By partnering with educational institutions, construction firms can offer internships, workshops and collaborative projects. Engaging with Gen Z while they’re still in school can give them firsthand experience of the industry’s potential and pave the way for a future career. This early engagement can demystify the sector and highlight its multifaceted opportunities.

Showcase sustainability and green construction

Young individuals today are increasingly concerned about environmental issues. The construction industry’s push towards sustainable practices — including energy-efficient designs, green materials and renewable energy integration — aligns well with this mindset. Highlighting how technology is making sustainable construction a reality can attract environmentally conscious workers who seek meaningful and impactful careers.

Slowdown in number of workers quitting construction industry

By Neil Gerrard | Originally posted on international-construction.com

The number of construction workers in the US quitting the industry has started to slow, as opportunities in rival industries dry up.

That’s according to new figures from Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) which has studied data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

ABC found that there were 350,000 construction job openings in August. That figure was down 3,000 on July but still 5,000 above the same period a year ago.

A total of 167,000 workers quit the industry in August 2023, down 15,000 on the total in July and down 60,000 on the same period a year ago.

“The number of open, unfilled construction positions declined in August but remains higher than both one year ago and the pre-pandemic level,” said ABC chief economist Anirban Basu.

“Despite the year-over-year increase, the rate at which construction workers are quitting has slowed dramatically as labour constraints ease in other industries that compete for the same workers.

“With a majority of contractors looking to expand their staffing levels over the next six months, according to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index, any improvements in the labour supply will help contractors keep project costs under control.”

Construction Job Openings at 350,000, Says ABC

By Construction Superintendent | Originally posted on consupt.com

The construction industry had 350,000 job openings on the last day of August, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. JOLTS defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting. Industry job openings decreased by 3,000 last month but are up by 5,000 from the same time last year.

“The number of open, unfilled construction positions declined in August but remains higher than both one year ago and the pre-pandemic level,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Despite the year-over-year increase, the rate at which construction workers are quitting has slowed dramatically as labor constraints ease in other industries that compete for the same workers. With a majority of contractors looking to expand their staffing levels over the next six months, according to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index, any improvements in the labor supply will help contractors keep project costs under control.”

 

Why are construction workers supposedly the happiest of any major industry?

By Neil Gerrard | Originally posted on international-construction.com

Employees are unhappier than ever across all industries, according to new research.

And yet construction workers are, perhaps surprisingly, the happiest in any major industry in the US.

The findings come as part of a new report by HR software provider BambooHR. It found that construction workers are not only the happiest but that their mood was the least volatile. That means that as they were polled on their mood from month to month, there was a lower range in their average scores than among workers in other sectors.

On average, construction workers scored 49 in BambooHR’s database of employee Net Promoter Scores (eNPS). That compares to 41 in the next-happiest sector of technology and 31 in healthcare, the least happy of eight major industries studied.

Construction workers’ eNPS have remained consistently high, ranging from a low of 48 in 2022, up to a high of 53 in 2021.

 

So why are construction workers supposedly happier than their peers in other sectors?

The report pinpointed two trends in particular:

  1. High demand for construction work as the manufacturing industry spent big on new facilities amid the collapse of global supply chains during 2022. That was combined with the US government’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which aims to inject $550 billion into roads, bridges, and high-speed internet infrastructure.
  2. Hourly construction wages rose to a 40-year high in 2022, with today’s median hourly wage at $17.58 but as high as $28.58, according to Payscale.

Perhaps oddly, construction workers’ happiness peaked in 2020. Despite the wider uncertainty the covid-19 pandemic created, it may have unexpectedly created greater stability for construction companies.

That’s because in addition to a boom in residential construction projects, the materials shortages that arose amid supply chain issues resulted in deeper backlogs of work for construction firms.

Meanwhile stimulus to protect businesses from the effects of pandemic lockdowns, including the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan, pumped trillions of dollars into the economy.

Are construction workers getting less happy?

There are seasonal variations in construction workers’ happiness.

The report found that there are lower scores in the autumn, before they rise again towards the end of the year.

However, construction workers’ happiness has tapered off slightly since 2020. And from January to May 2023, it declined at a rate of 81%, according to BambooHR.

That was a sharp drop compared to the gentler average decline of 13% from 2020 through to the present and could indicate that the mood among workers is changing.

One factor that could affect workers’ happiness is the ongoing shortage of skilled personnel in the sector.

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has previously reported that the construction industry will need 546,000 workers to meet demand in 2023 and a report from Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and Autodesk has warned separately that 91% of construction companies are having a hard time finding workers.

That shortage could place more pressure on existing workers in the industry, as well as prompting an influx of inexperienced workers who have greater training needs, BambooHR’s report warned. And it urged human resources professionals to focus on recruitment strategies and training programmes to cater for that influx of less experienced employees.

How the results were compiled

To gauge the happiness of workers, the report has been building a database of regular, self-reported answers to two questions that aim to measure employee satisfaction.

One asks employees to give a numeric rating of how likely employees are to recommend their organisation as a place to work. The second is an open question about their reasoning.

The database is based on information from 1,600 companies. There were more than 1.4 billion self-reported eNPS scores since January 2020, according to BambooHR.

Electricians in the US are in huge demand, fueled by the IRA

By Europe News | Originally posted on news.europenewss.com

The number of electricians employed in the US is at an all-time high in April, and they’re being paid better than ever. But can America sustain the supply of skilled tradespeople needed for these roles?

As a result, electricians are getting the best wages they’ve had in decades. In April, they saw a 7.4% year-over-year increase in their wages—the largest one-year change in their earnings since the Labor Department started recording this data in 2007.

How much money do electricians make?

Entry level electricians across the US regularly make $60,000 to $80,000, and some contracting companies are willing to pay off student debt to entice workers to come into the field, said Greg Sizemore, vice president of health, safety, environment, and workforce development at the Associated Builders and Contractors trade group.

As of April, government statistics show, the average American electrician earned $37.51 per hour, which comes out to $78,000 per year.

Why are electricians in such hot demand?

The need for electricians has partially been driven by a strong labor market that’s paying many different types of workers better. A recent boom in the housing market also has helped. But demand is also being boosted by federal funding for the clean energy transition.

The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, allocated $369 billion in federal money toward enhancements to US energy infrastructure and efforts to alleviate issues contributing to global warming. Electricians will play a critical part in upgrading infrastructure as US households and businesses turn to electricity versus fossil fuels for powering appliances and other everyday living needs.

Can enough Americans be drawn to jobs in the trades?

But cultural attitudes about electrician jobs need to change if the US is going to successfully make the energy transition that the IRA is now funding.

“For a long time, we have valorized white-collar jobs and tech workers and the knowledge economy,” Leah Stokes, a professor of environmental politics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, recently told The New Yorker. “We need a whole new group of people to think about going into the trades, including people whose families have had white-collar jobs.”

Stanley Black & Decker, a Fortune 500 American manufacturing company, estimated in 2022 that job openings in the skilled trades include more than 650,000 construction jobs that need to be filled in the US, and 10 million manufacturing jobs globally.

Working to attract, retain apprentices a skilled job in and of itself

By Ian Harvey | Originally posted on canada.constructconnect.com

Skilled construction tradespeople should be earning more than some Phds, says Monte McNaughton, Ontario’s minister of labour, immigration, training and skills development.

“I always say I need more people in the skilled trades earning more money than the Phds,” says McNaughton, speaking about how to get students streaming into apprenticeships and away from universities.

The need for more apprentices going into the skilled trades has been obvious for some time, he says, but we’re making headway though there are still more challenges ahead.

Less than one-fifth of people who embark upon an apprenticeship program in Canada complete their training within the designated time period, according to a 2021 Statistics Canada study.

What does hold apprentices’ interest, however, is money with higher-paying apprentices more likely to complete their program within a given period of time than those in lower-paying positions, according to one Statistics Canada study.

Still, how long it takes to complete a program isn’t that important, says Cihan Bilginsoy, professor emeritus from the University of Utah who has studied the sector and is poised to issue an annual summary of apprenticeship programs in the United States.

“Completion may be delayed for a variety of reasons and, say, a one year delay should not be viewed as ‘failure,’” he says, noting completion rates are lower in lower paying trades.

The key factor in apprenticeships is how they are inducted into training, Bilginsoy says, with union programs holding the edge over non-union contractors.

“They have the training facilities and the mandate to supply uniformly trained workers,” he adds. “It’s not 100 per cent foolproof but it allows unions to generate a more homogenous body of workers.”

The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) in the U.S. says 2022 data shows the percentage of construction industry wage and salary workers belonging to unions dropped to a record low of 11.7 per cent, down from 12.6 the year before.

In Canada, the percentage of union members in trades holds at between 35 to 45 per cent, depending on the province and the trade in 2022. In Ontario the 2016 Census found 26 per cent of Ontario’s total construction industry (residential and non‐residential) workforce (465,710) worked in the unionized sector in 2015.

However, that figure includes many smaller home renovation contractors blended with ICI contractors where generally unionization is about 80 per cent or more.

It’s in the ICI trades where unions hold the strong hand in apprenticeship numbers and that’s led to some friction with non-union contractors who don’t have the formal training programs and facilities the unions have.

Some non-union contractors complain unions play gatekeeper to ensure supply of skilled tradespeople doesn’t exceed demand and force down wages.

One of the changes brought in by the Doug Ford government in Ontario in January 2022 changed the ratio of apprentices to journeymen which made it easier to hire apprentices.

In concert with $1.5 billion over four years invested in programs like Better Jobs Ontario, the Ontario Youth Assistance Program, which provides support for potential apprentices and employers to hire them, there are tangible results, McNaughton says.

Others have also stepped up such as the Schulich Foundation which has created a $3 million scholarship for students looking at skilled trades at 10 Ontario colleges.

“I’m confident momentum is building around skilled trades and we’re making a huge difference,” he says. “New apprenticeship registrations for women is up 30 per cent since last spring and overall there’s been an increase of 25 per cent in apprenticeship registration, so we’re moving the big needle, though we will still need 100,000 more skilled construction workers over the next decade.”

While the intake numbers are encouraging, Adel Esayed, dean of the centre for construction and engineering technologies at George Brown College in Toronto, says the schools also need to modernize to serve those apprentices.

“We need to start intensively introducing new technology into trades schools,” he says, noting the generation coming into apprenticeships are technically literate and ready to embrace digital tools as much as physical tools. “The pandemic showed us that tradespeople are as smart or smarter than post secondary students (in adapting to technology.)”

Efforts over the years — and higher wages out of the gate — for skilled trades have kindled interest among high schoolers and McNaughton notes students in Grade 1 will get exposure to trades as a career path, says Esayed, but there is a lingering stigma among some segments of the population. Until fairly recently guidance counsellors were still favouring university, he says.

“Canadian citizens not so much, but new immigrants don’t like their kids going to trades,” he says. “They think it is for people who have no other options. The kids want to and I have to explain to their parents it’s not like it was in their country because here it’s a good option and you can make a very good living.”

Mike Gallardo, a board member at Skilled Trades Ontario but speaking in his role as president and CEO at Merit Ontario, the non-union contractors association, says it’s something he hears from his members all the time how paperwork can be a drawback.

“Some people do think we should look at apprenticeship programs and look to see whether skills learned in another trade can be transferred to another trade, if they are complementary,” he says. “The biggest challenge is when you talk with prospective apprentices, young or old, they look at the pathway, it’s cumbersome and you have to complete a lot of paperwork which is an administrative burden and turns off a lot of people from the pursuing it, because they look at it and say it’s not as easy as it looks.”

Melissa Young, CEO and registrar at Skilled Trades Ontario, agrees its an area that needs work.

“We’re moving to a digital platform where they can log hours and keep a digital log book,” she says, adding future plans will be to remove silos in the apprenticeship process and reach out much more over the year to raise interest.

Gallardo says the burden of bureaucracy is similar for the employer because the challenge is not just guiding the apprentice through their initial learning, it’s also creating the best environment for safe learning and a culture for training.

On the other hand, some companies don’t want to be burdened. A 2020 survey by the Workforce Planning Board for Sudbury Manitoulin found while employers are looking for a diverse range of skilled construction workers, there was a split between those who were eager to support apprentices and others who wanted no part.

Some would pay their wages while they went to school as part of their apprenticeship and provide other supports while the other group didn’t see it as their responsibility to get involved.

Construction Worker

There’s Never Been a Better Time in the US to Be an Electrician

By Nate DiCamillo | Originally posted on qz.com

The May US jobs report showed that electricians are getting hired and paid at record levels

The number of electricians employed in the US is at an all-time high in April, and they’re being paid better than ever. But can America sustain the supply of skilled tradespeople needed for these roles?

This area of the job market has been setting records setting records in employment since late 2021 and shot past the 1 million mark for the first time in more than 30 years in early 2022, according to the US Department of Labor. Now, the industry stands at 1.032 million employed in the US.

As a result, electricians are getting the best wages they’ve had in decades. In April, they saw a 7.4% year-over-year increase in their wages—the largest one-year change in their earnings since the Labor Department started recording this data in 2007.

How much money do electricians make?

Entry level electricians across the US regularly make $60,000 to $80,000, and some contracting companies are willing to pay off student debt to entice workers to come into the field, said Greg Sizemore, vice president of health, safety, environment, and workforce development at the Associated Builders and Contractors trade group.

As of April, government statistics show, the average American electrician earned $37.51 per hour, which comes out to $78,000 per year.

Why are electricians in such hot demand?

The need for electricians has partially been driven by a strong labor market that’s paying many different types of workers better. A recent boom in the housing market also has helped. But demand is also being boosted by federal funding for the clean energy transition.

The Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, allocated $369 billion in federal money toward enhancements to US energy infrastructure and efforts to alleviate issues contributing to global warming. Electricians will play a critical part in upgrading infrastructure as US households and businesses turn to electricity versus fossil fuels for powering appliances and other everyday living needs.

Can enough Americans be drawn to jobs in the trades?

But cultural attitudes about electrician jobs need to change if the US is going to successfully make the energy transition that the IRA is now funding.

“For a long time, we have valorized white-collar jobs and tech workers and the knowledge economy,” Leah Stokes, a professor of environmental politics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, recently told The New Yorker. “We need a whole new group of people to think about going into the trades, including people whose families have had white-collar jobs.”

Stanley Black & Decker, a Fortune 500 American manufacturing company, estimated in 2022 that job openings in the skilled trades include more than 650,000 construction jobs that need to be filled in the US, and 10 million manufacturing jobs globally.

Construction

U.S. DOL introduces construction safety, health committee

By Lindsey Anderson | Originally posted on constructiontechnology.media

The U.S. Department of Labor announced the appointments of 15 people to serve as members on the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health.

The committee provides advice and assistance to the Secretary of Labor and the Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health on Construction Safety Act-related policy matters and the setting of construction standards.

Members will serve two-year terms and represent the interests of the public, employers, employees, and state and federal government. The committee — which has broad experience with issues relevant to construction safety and health — generally meets two to four times a year. The appointed members include the following:

Five employee representatives:

  • Christina Trahan Cain, North America’s Building Trades Unions
  • Liliana A. Calderon, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
  • Ryan Papariello, Laborers Health and Safety Fund of North America
  • Kenneth G. Seal, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades
  • Robert Seman, International Union of Operating Engineers

Five employer representatives:

  • Kevin Cannon, Associated General Contractors of America
  • Matthew Compher, Quanta Services Inc.
  • Michael P. Lawler, Walsh Construction Company
  • Greg Sizemore, Associated Builders and Contractors
  • Mindy Uber, Skanska USA Building Inc.

Two public representatives:

  • Marissa G. Baker, University of Washington
  • Eric D. Fidler, Manitowoc Company Inc.

Two state government representatives:

  • Christopher Scott Mabry, North Carolina Department of Labor
  • Charles Stribling, Kentucky Labor Cabinet Department of Workplace Standards

One federal representative:

  • G. Scott Earnest, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Christina Trahan Cain will serve as the ACCSH chair.

The Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, also known as the Construction Safety Act, established the committee.