Tech-savvy Workers Needed to Solve Construction Workforce Shortage

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By Adam Stark | Originally posted on forconstructionpros.com

The construction sector has a severe staffing issue.

According to the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the construction industry will need to attract 546,000 new workers to keep pace with the demand for labor. This is much more than just a potential problem for tomorrow. It’s an urgent concern right now. Nearly one-quarter of construction workers are older than 55, making an imminent retirement wave a threat to several priorities, including expanding access to affordable housing and community development.

Finding qualified professionals to take their places won’t be easy. Even with 2.1 million people expected to leave other industries to work in the construction sector–more than offsetting the 1.9 million who will leave the construction sector in 2024; just to keep up with demand, ABC estimates that the U.S. construction sector will need to attract 500,000 new workers this year.

What’s more, with construction jobs increasingly requiring advanced technological skills, companies will need to upskill and retool a significant portion of their existing workforce to keep pace with changing building strategies and best practices.

In other words, the construction sector’s talent shortage is more than just a hiring issue. It’s a holistic rethinking of their workforce, requiring more and more skilled employees to meet demand.

While no single solution will address this challenge completely, technology advancements can play a critical role in empowering and rejuvenating the construction sector workforce. Simply put, technology addresses immediate workforce gaps and plays a crucial role in long-term industry productivity improvements. Here’s how the industry can use it even more fully to its advantage this year and beyond.

A Younger, Tech-Centric Talent Pool

Today’s students and college graduates are technology-natives. They’ve never known a world that wasn’t dominated by ubiquitous internet access, highly capable and accessible hardware, and app-driven experiences. Increasingly, this means that GenZ employees and prospects aren’t just tech-natives. They are AI natives as well.

According to Axios, “College students are piling into generative AI (GAI) courses — the better to give them an advantage in the growing number of jobs requiring such skills.” The construction sector can’t afford to be left behind, requiring it to combat the perception that construction is exclusively a manual-labor-saturated field without access to or the need for high-tech solutions. In fact, the industry is actively implementing digital technologies at every project stage, from ideation and planning to real-world implications and tactical execution.

To engage a younger, tech-centric talent pool, the construction sector and local companies should consider developing internship programs and other partnerships with universities that offer courses related to the construction industry, such as construction management, real estate development, architecture, and engineering.

Collaborating with universities and community-based educational initiatives allows construction entities to take advantage of the school’s efforts to attract students and promote internships and career opportunities in the construction industry. This approach helps companies engage students who are already interested in related fields and might be looking for real-world applications for their studies.

When interacting with students, whether through internships or speaking engagements at universities, showcase the use of modern technology in projects and operations. By demonstrating the use of advanced tech stacks and digital solutions, rather than outdated software or manual processes, construction companies are actively engaging their future talent, proving that it is appealing and compelling to the next generation of construction professionals.

Leverage Tech to Operate More Efficiently 

Integrating the latest technologies into modern construction workflows, including administrative automation, streamlined workflows, enhanced communication protocols, and data-driven decision-making, elevates efficiency and effectiveness.

This process should not be daunting for construction companies. After all, legacy technology hinders innovation and improvement, increases costs, and limits opportunities for growth and expansion. For instance, legacy systems can limit a company’s ability to adopt additional, niche technological solutions due to budget constraints and operational inefficiencies. In contrast, modern technology stacks offer a more cost-effective and efficient solution, enabling construction companies to leverage a wider array of tools and applications that enhance project management, safety, and other critical aspects of construction work.

Once a modern tech stack is adopted, there are immediate efficiency and automation opportunities. This includes automated project reminders, the streamlined creation of workflows that connect all stakeholders, and enhanced document management, creating substantial time savings by consolidating information from numerous stakeholders into a single, accessible location.

It also creates a proper data index that, especially when paired with burgeoning capabilities from AI and ML technologies, creates searchable, analytical data sets that unlock even more potential as specific details within project plans, drawings, or documents become accessible. Unlike the traditional methods of sifting through PDFs, emails, Excel files, or even physical notes and drawings, modern systems enable quick keyword searches, saving measurable time and effort.

Streamline the Knowledge Gap and Process Training

The use of technology allows for better collaboration and communication, creating a “text-like” environment for specific operational functions of the project. This is particularly useful for managing Requests for Information (RFIs) or submittals, where traditional email chains can become cumbersome and inefficient. With software solutions that can centralize thousands of pieces of information, including attachments and markups, facilitating the transfer of information across dozens of different stakeholders has never been easier.

As a result, tech-enabled teams can maintain their flow of communication and ensure that all team members have access to the latest data and project updates. In this way, construction tech solves for proper workflow visualization. It enables seamless communication, akin to a group chat environment, but specifically tailored for construction project management tasks such as scheduling, RFIs, and submittals.

Ultimately, when teams work better together, they maximize available resources, ensuring every team member can accomplish as much as possible. It doesn’t eliminate the consequences of a staffing shortage but allows every construction team to make the most out of their personnel in every circumstance.

The construction industry faces a significant staffing challenge, exacerbated by an aging workforce and the increasing demand for technologically skilled employees. However, technology presents a viable solution to bridge this gap and revitalize the sector. By engaging a younger, tech-centric talent pool and leveraging technology to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness, the construction industry can bridge the staffing gap and thrive for years to come.

Industry Associations Oppose DOL Overtime Rule

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By Haley Rischar | Originally posted on demolitionassociation.com

Associated Builders and Contractors, Washington, announced the filing of a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division, challenging the U.S. Department of Labor’s  (DOL’s) final rule, Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales, and Computer Employees, which will change overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

DOL’s new final rule increases the minimum annual salary level threshold for exemption in two phases: from $35,568 to $43,888 on July 1, and to $58,656 on Jan. 1, 2025. In addition, salary thresholds will be updated every three years starting July 1, 2027.

“Regrettably, here we go again,” says Ben Brubeck, ABC vice president of regulatory, labor and state affairs. “In 2017, this court permanently enjoined the DOL’s 2016 overtime rule. We are … again back before the court because the DOL, in direct defiance of this court’s previous ruling, decided to move forward with a new overtime rule that increases the minimum salary level threshold for exemption far beyond a level [that] the DOL is permitted to adopt. In addition, it includes an unlawful automatic indexing provision that will further increase the salary threshold without the notice-and-comment rulemaking required by the Administrative Procedure Act.”

According to the construction industry trade association, virtually all ABC’s members employ workers who qualify for exempt status, and the DOL’s 2024 rule will reclassify a massive amount of ABC member employees who currently qualify for exempt status as nonexempt.

“This will disrupt the entire construction industry, specifically harming small businesses, as the rule will greatly restrict employee workplace flexibility in setting schedules and hours, hurting career advancement opportunities,” Brubeck says.

The National Demolition Association (NDA), Washington,  is also advocating for legislation in Congress to overturn the final overtime rule.

Last year, the association submitted comments to the DOL opposing the increases to the minimum salary thresholds and automatic updates that it says “do not take into account current economic conditions.”

“NDA believes employees and employers are the best parties to determine issues ranging from wages and working conditions, through … individual or collective bargaining, within the boundaries of the law,” NDA stated in its comments. “Employers and employees are appropriately served by overtime regulations that promote flexibility in structuring employee hours, career advancement opportunities for employees, and clarity for employers in classifying their employees under the FLSA.

“In addition, NDA believes any increase to the overtime pay eligibility threshold must [consider] regional variations in wages and cost of living as well as current economic conditions.”

Among NDA’s complaints, it highlighted the rule’s negative impacts on employers and employees, such as limits on career advancement opportunities for employers reclassified from salaried to hourly and limits on the ability for employers to provide remote work and flexible scheduling; burdensome compliance costs; and automatic salary threshold increases, which NDA says are “likely unlawful.”

Nov. 7, 2023, ABC called on the DOL to withdraw the proposed rulemaking. ABC also signed onto coalition comments criticizing the overtime proposed rule, joining 244 national, state and local organizations representing employers from various private industries and public, nonprofit and education sectors.

In 2016, the Obama administration issued a final overtime rule that would have doubled the minimum salary level for exemption from $23,660 to $47,476 per year. ABC, along with several other business groups, sued the DOL in federal court and successfully blocked the rule from taking effect.

Project labor agreements are bad policy | As a judge says, they unfairly limit competition, which is bad for the public.

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By Boston Globe Editorial | Originally posted on edition.pagesuite.com

It’s one of the most predictable of economic impulses. Facing competitive pressure? Then try to limit the competition.

With labor unions in Massachusetts, one oft-attempted approach has been to pressure public-sector decision-makers to impose so-called project labor agreements on public projects. Although they don’t say so explicitly, PLAs in effect limit public work only to firms whose workers belong to trade unions.

Such agreements usually drive up costs for the taxpayer.

In broad terms, the public policy dance goes this way. In deciding what candidates to endorse and help in their bid for office, labor unions solicit their support on various labor issues, one of which is usually PLAs. Democratic politicians almost reflexively sign on. Then, when a sizable project comes up, unions urge their friends in public office to press the decision-makers to impose a PLA on the project. Since offering such a public statement is easy, the electeds usually do. If the contracting agency then does as urged, a PLA is imposed — and nonunion firms’ only resort is to go to court to fight it.

All that just happened in Western Massachusetts. After the urging of an array of elected officials, the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission imposed a PLA on a $325 million water-filtration project in Westfield. Several umbrella organizations for nonunion construction firms filed a lawsuit challenging the PLA.

This month, Hampden Superior Court Judge Michael Callan blocked the competition-constricting requirement, noting that the state’s Supreme Judicial Court has said that for a PLA to be permissible, a project must be of “such size, duration, timing, and complexity that the goals of the [public] bidding statute cannot otherwise be achieved’’ and that the awarding authority must have undertaken “a careful, reasoned process’’ to assess the effects of a PLA in regard to the intent of that law.

Those standards simply weren’t met, Callan ruled.

In fact, Callan noted, the firm that the water and sewer commission consulted with had concluded a PLA would delay the project by several months and hike its costs by $15.5 million. Indeed, there really hadn’t been any strong policy argument for the PLA. The commission’s own legal counsel, before having a late-in-the-process change of mind, had advised that he didn’t think the project met the SJC’s threshold for the imposition of a PLA.

The judge’s clear-eyed decision also pierced through much of the disingenuous rhetoric about PLAs, writing that “for all intents and purposes, the PLA excludes open shops from bidding, as it essentially requires bidders to … use union laborers on the project.’’

That’s exactly right. And limiting the bidding only to union labor hikes project costs. Such a price-increasing effect is a generally recognized impact of constricted competition. It pertains in particular when nonunion firms have been eliminated from even bidding on the project; if unionized firms know their only rivals for a project are other union firms, they will feel significantly less pressure to take a sharp pencil to their bid.

Various studies have estimated the added cost of PLA-ed projects in the 10 percent to 20 percent range (though other analyses contend there is no significant price effect). In part, nonunion firms say, that’s because their work teams aren’t bound by union work rules that, say, require a laborer to perform one task, a carpenter a second, an electrician a third, and a plumber a fourth. Nonunion firms usually have their own teams, with developed and complementary specialties. If one worker can perform two or more of those tasks, it saves time and makes work at the job site go more smoothly, with fewer delays.

Although PLAs are sometimes portrayed as necessary to keep nonunion contractors from undercutting trade wages, in fact, the state’s prevailing wage law already mandates that nonunion firms pay the prevailing wage on public projects. That wage is essentially the rate set in union collective-bargaining contracts.

Thus there really is no strong policy argument for imposing a PLA. Further, it is unfair to the many Massachusetts construction workers who are not union members. It means that those workers are paying taxes to help fund projects that PLAs would exclude them from working on.

As a result of Callan’s ruling, the water and sewer commission has decided to move forward with the project without a PLA.

“The Commission is proceeding with the procurement of the new West Parish Water Treatment plant pursuant to the established schedule and the recent Superior Court ruling in accordance with its primary goal of completing the new plant as quickly as possible,’’ commission communications manager Jaimye Bartak said via email. (The local labor council appears to be attempting a last-gasp Hail Mary intervention.)

That’s good news. But honestly, this whole exercise was a waste of judicial time. In the future, when faced with union lobbying for PLAs, elected officials and public decision-makers should cite Callan’s lucid ruling on the matter and say a firm and emphatic no.

Why, they might even want to quote the judge, who pithily summed things up this way: “The public benefits from an open, fair, competitive, and robust bidding process. The PLA requirement unnecessarily curtails that without legal justification.’’

ABC Indiana/Kentucky Presents 2023 Excellence in Construction Awards

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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

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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

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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.

A 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

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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

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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?

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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

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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?

Does employee monitoring work?

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.