ABC: Government-Registered Apprenticeship Programs Still Do Not Meet Construction Workforce Needs

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At current rates of participation and completion, federal and state government-registered apprenticeship programs, or GRAPs, are still failing to meet the construction industry’s short- and long-term skilled workforce development needs, according to an annual Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis of released U.S. Department of Labor data. ABC estimates that, in fiscal year 2024, the construction industry’s federal and state GRAPs had about 290,000 apprentice participants and yielded less than 40,000 completers.* The DOL’s data presents 5-year trend lines indicating there has been stronger proportional growth in the number of nonunion GRAPs, apprentice participants and apprentice completers compared to union-affiliated GRAPs … Read more

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Construction Materials Prices Increase .6%, Steel Surges Nearly 4% in February

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Construction input prices increased .6% in February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices also increased .6% for the month. Overall construction input prices are .3% higher than one year ago, while nonresidential construction input prices are .1% lower. Iron and steel, steel mill product and softwood lumber prices all increased sharply in February. “Nonresidential input prices increased at a rapid pace in February and have risen at a far-too-hot 9% annualized rate through the first two months of 2025,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban … Read more

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ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator Inches Lower in February

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Associated Builders and Contractors reported that its Construction Backlog Indicator fell to 8.3 months in February, according to an ABC member survey conducted Feb. 20 to March 5. The reading is up 0.2 months since February 2024. Backlog fell on a monthly basis for contractors with less than $100 million in annual revenues while increasing sharply for contractors with greater than $100 million in annual revenue. Those largest contractors have also accounted for the majority of the increase in backlog observed over the past year. ABC’s Construction Confidence Index reading for staffing improved, while the reading for profit margins declined. … Read more

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ABC: Construction Employment Growth Strong in February

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The construction industry added 19,000 jobs on net in February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis of data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has increased by 174,000 jobs, an increase of 2.1%. Nonresidential construction employment increased by 6,200 positions on net, with growth in all three subcategories. Heavy and civil engineering added the most jobs, increasing by 2,500 positions, followed by nonresidential specialty trade, which added 2,000 jobs. Nonresidential building added 1,700 jobs last month. The construction unemployment rate rose to 7.2% in February. Unemployment across all industries increased … Read more

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ABC Announces 2025 Craft, Construction Management National Champions

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Associated Builders and Contractors has named the winners of the 2025 ABC Construction Management Competition and the 36th annual National Craft Championships. The national craft championships celebrate and recognize upskilling in construction, drawing some of the country’s most talented craft professionals and highlighting the important role that craft skills training plays in the construction industry. Craft students and apprentices from across the country traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada to demonstrate their superior skills and safe work practices and compete for top honors. The NCC featured 15 competitions with skills from nearly 200 craft professionals on display in 11 crafts. Click … Read more

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