Construction Employment Exceeds Pre-Pandemic Peak in 32 States in April

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Construction employment exceeded pre-pandemic levels in 32 states in April, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials cautioned, however, that record high job opening levels in the construction sector indicate that many firms are having a hard time finding workers to hire, putting future job gains at risk.   Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist noted that government data from the monthly job openings and labor turnover survey show that there were 415,000 job openings in the construction industry at the end of March. That was the highest … Read more

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Nonresidential Construction Input Prices Soar 21% From April 2021 to Last Month

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Prices of materials and services used in new nonresidential construction leaped nearly 21% in April from year-ago levels, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data. The association urged the Biden administration to provide relief to hard-hit employers by ending tariffs on key construction materials and reconsidering its recently proposed buy America regulations that will make it harder for firms to find and pay for key construction materials.   “Nonresidential contractors have endured 12 months of 20% increases in the cost of items they need to build projects,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief … Read more

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Nonresidential and Multifamily Construction Spending Slump in March

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Spending on most categories of nonresidential and multifamily construction declined from February to March as contractors struggled to find enough workers and get timely deliveries of materials, according to an analysis the Associated General Contractors of America released regarding federal spending data. Association leaders urged Washington officials to end tariffs on construction materials and widen the opportunities for gaining the skills for rewarding careers in construction. Construction spending in March totaled $1.73 trillion at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, 0.1% above the upwardly revised February rate and 11.7% higher than in March 2021. Private residential construction spending accounted for all … Read more

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AGC Names Nation’s Most Outstanding Student Construction Chapters

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The University of Massachusetts Amherst, as well as Kansas State University and Boise State University were named the nation’s most outstanding student construction chapters of 2021, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. The student chapters were each honored for one of three categories: Emerging Student Chapter Award, Community Service Award and Construction Management Skills Award. “These student chapters offer a vital connection between the future leaders of our industry and the construction employers of today,” said Bob Lanham, the association’s former president and president of Williams Brothers Construction Co., Inc. in Houston, Texas. “These three student chapters stand out for … Read more

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Choate Construction Company Named Nation’s Safest Construction Company by AGC

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Choate Construction Company was recognized for having the nation’s best construction safety and wellness plan in 2021 by the Associated General Contractors of America. The association, which oversees the WTW Construction Safety Excellence Awards, an annual ranking of construction safety programs, noted that 46 other companies were also selected as winners for the quality of their safety programs. Choate Construction was judged and selected as the grand award winner from among 15 first-place winners across six occupational divisions. The firm developed and implemented exceptional safety and risk control program through continuous improvement and maintenance of its safety and health management … Read more

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