Survey Says: ABC Members Invested $1.3B in Construction Workforce Education in 2020

According to the results of the Associated Builders and Contractors 2021 Workforce Development Survey, ABC contractor members invested $1.3 billion in workforce development initiatives in 2020, providing craft, leadership and safety education to 500,000 course attendees to advance their careers in commercial and industrial construction. Safety education accounted for 71% of the total workforce investment as per-person spending doubled, revealing an elevated focus on worker education, safety and total human health during the COVID-19 pandemic. “America’s economic engine is fueled by a workforce equipped with durable and transferable skill sets, and ABC members are dedicated to investing in essential safety … Read more

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ABC Announces Second Chance Month, Construction Looking to Hire Reentering Citizens

Associated Builders and Contractors is committed to shaping an industry that welcomes all people. As part of Second Chance Month, ABC has highlighted the programs, partnerships and involvement of its chapters and members across the country in educating, upskilling and hiring reentering citizens. “Second Chance Month raises awareness around the value that reentering citizens can bring to the construction workforce,” said Greg Sizemore, ABC’s vice president of health, safety, environment and workforce development. “These individuals have paid their debt to society and should be given the opportunity to achieve their newly found career dreams, and these inspiring stories highlight how … Read more

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Construction Adds 110K Jobs in March, ABC Says Here Comes Tsunami of Growth

The construction industry added 110,000 jobs in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The industry has added 931,000 jobs since April 2020, recovering 83.6% of the jobs lost during earlier stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The construction unemployment rate fell to 8.6% in March from 9.6% in February, but it is still 1.7 percentage points higher than in March 2020. Unemployment across all industries declined from 6.2% in February to 6.0% in March. A significant percentage of the job growth was registered in nonresidential construction, which added … Read more

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Construction Industry Needs to Hire 430,000+ Craft Professionals in 2021, Says ABC

In 2021, construction companies will need to hire 430,000 more workers than they employed in 2020, according to an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released by Associated Builders and Contractors. The analysis also revealed that every $1 billion in extra construction spending generates an average of at least 5,700 construction jobs. “According to forecasts analyzed during the COVID-19 pandemic, an impressive 430,000 more construction workers still need to be hired in 2021 to meet the demand, evidence that the construction industry is powering America’s recovery and economic engine,” said ABC President and CEO Michael Bellaman. “ABC’s annual … Read more

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ABC Launches Construction Technology Marketplace to Grow Contractor Members’ Innovative Initiatives

Associated Builders and Contractors has launched of its inaugural Tech Marketplace, comprised of companies that provide construction technology and innovative digital solutions for ABC contractor members to advance and grow their technology strategies, offerings and abilities. “Technology helps our contractor members become safer, more profitable and primed to win more work,” said Matt Abeles, ABC’s vice president of construction technology and innovation. “The Tech Marketplace brings together a group of technology providers, selected by ABC’s Tech and Innovation Committee, ready to partner with ABC members to help them integrate construction technology and innovation into all aspects of their strategic initiatives. … Read more

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