Merit Shop Apprenticeship Program Enrollment Up 60%, Growing Faster Than Unions

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Nonunion apprenticeship programs and participants were responsible for the vast majority of growth in construction registered apprenticeship programs, or RAPs, over the past five years, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Department of Labor data. “The DOL data show that ABC and merit shop contractors are leading the industry in growing both registered apprenticeship programs and innovative new workforce development pipelines,” said Kristen Swearingen, ABC vice president of government affairs. “ABC supports the DOL building on its success by streamlining and simplifying apprenticeship regulations while providing incentives for better RAP performance, which will attract new sponsors and employers to […]

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CMAA Announces Recipients of 2026 Individual Recognition Awards

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The Construction Management Association of America announced the recipients of its 2026 Industry Honors Individual Recognition Awards. Each year, CMAA’s Awards Program celebrates outstanding achievements in construction management by recognizing individuals and organizations that exemplify excellence and leadership in the industry. Winners are selected through a rigorous evaluation process by a panel of expert judges who assess each nomination based on demonstrated merit and impact. CMAA Distinguished Young Professional Award Recognizes and celebrates a full-time, individual member, for a commitment to the industry and outstanding professional accomplishments early in their career. 2026 Recipients: Jash Joshi Michael Sandlin, CMIT2 | Gilbane […]

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ABC Report: 36% of Contractor Members Utilize Drones on Jobsites

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Associated Builders and Contractors released the findings of its Drone Usage report, a survey ABC conducted of its contractor members in May 2026. Notably, 36.1% of ABC contractor member respondents reported that they fly drones. Other report findings include: Drones are most often used for site progress monitoring (80.8%), marketing and media (77.5%) and inspections and mapping (50%). Investment levels in drones vary widely, but 62% report investing between $1,000 and $10,000. DJI manufacturers the overwhelming majority of ABC contractor members’ primary drones (97.1%). The biggest challenges in adopting drone technology include regulatory and compliance issues (53.5%), training and staffing (43.4%) […]

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ABC: Construction Materials Prices Flat in July, Up 7.4% From a Year Ago

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Overall construction and nonresidential input prices both increased 0.1% in July compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data. Overall construction input prices are 7.4% higher than one year ago, while nonresidential construction input prices are 7.2% higher. Prices decreased in 2 of the 3 energy subcategories last month. Crude petroleum prices decreased 11.9%, and unprocessed energy materials decreased 7.4%. Natural gas prices were up 10.4% in July. “Construction input prices were virtually unchanged in July, but that relatively tame behavior can be traced to […]

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NEU Announces Second Low-Carbon Concrete Certificate Program

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A new certificate program, Low-Carbon Concrete: Fundamentals, Materials, and Innovations, is now available from NEU: An ACI Center of Excellence for Carbon Neutral Concrete and ACI University. This program is a complement to NEU’s first certificate, Low-Carbon Concrete: Qualification, Design, and Compliance, and provides comprehensive guidance on reducing the carbon footprint of concrete through strategic material selection, as well as design and construction strategies. It aims to provide the fundamental knowledge needed to understand the carbon footprints of concrete and cement, their lifecycle stages and key strategies for reducing concrete’s carbon emissions, with particular emphasis on material selection considerations. The […]

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