Author: Jeanie Clapp

Collectively employers are asking questions throughout the state in an effort to fill workforce gaps. These questions include, “How can I fill positions?” and “How do we access workers?” On April 20, however, different questions were being asked. “Did you bring your resumes? Did you practice your interview questions?” In the Champlain Valley Expo Center’s Bissonette Room, Reid Wobby, a volunteer with the Associated General Contractors of Vermont (AGC-VT), asked these two questions to his audience of high school and college students, there to meet prospective employers at the Vermont Career Fair’s second annual event. While it’s not new news…

ACG and Procore Technologies have partnered to create a program to help inspiring students at historically Black colleges and universities. They’ve raised lots of money – and lots of hope – as they help the next generation of constructors bloom, grow and achieve. BY A.D. THOMPSON Deyana Thomas didn’t come from the best neighborhood, but the Philadelphia native’s drive and dedication — not to mention her interest in carpentry — came from her dad. Thomas spent a lot of time helping her father on jobsites when she was a kid. Like most single-digit apprentices, her first tool was a broom,…

Maintaining Singular Focus Contributes to Mid-Coast Corridor Project Securing the 2023 Build America Grand Award BY NICOLE NEEDLES The Mid-Coast Corridor Project was actually eight projects in one. Not only did it involve facets completely different from one another – an interstate expansion, light rail construction, bridge improvement, parking garages and more – this project took place during a global pandemic. Despite these extraordinary conditions, it was completed on time and within budget, securing the 2023 Construction Risk Partners Build America Grand Award for the joint venture team of Mid-Coast Transit Constructors. Multiple projects rolled into one created a unique…

BY KEN GARCIA Safety is key for any business. Whether it is from the tools, heavy equipment, the weather or even mental health, companies value the safety of their employees. This is especially true in the construction industry, where many hazards exist. AGC of America recognizes those safety programs and their work through the Construction Safety Excellence Awards (CSEA), sponsored by Willis Towers Watson. This year’s grand award winner is Hensel Phelps, a general contractor with offices nationwide. Their work is primarily commercial and can touch industries ranging from aviation, the U.S. Defense Department, hospitality, theme parks and manufacturing. With…

Nebraska recently hosted the 5th AGC Equipment Days in conjunction with the Cornhusker State Trap Shoot in Doniphan, Nebraska. This trap shooting competition hosts over 5,000 students in grades 6-12 in Nebraska and surrounding states. The trap complex turns into a town of its own during the three days of the shoot, as many families choose to bring a camper and stay on the property. Steve Peck (SIMON, a COLAS Company) proposed a construction-related promotion at the Cornhusker State Trap Shoot to AGC Nebraska Workforce Development Committee in 2018. An avid shooter, he had a relationship with the Nebraska Games…

BY JOSH SALAZAR Construction is a highly diverse industry, ranging from the development of skyscrapers in dense urban centers to the building of schools, libraries and other municipal buildings in rural areas where there is typically less infrastructure, resources and labor available.  While contractors are used to dealing with the differing demands associated with the locations in which they work, there are some challenges that surprise even the most seasoned of contractors. Such was the case in Keams Canyon, Arizona where Industrial Constructors/Managers, Inc. (ICM), an AGC of Colorado Building Chapter member, took on the task of helping build a…

BY STEPHEN PAULIN, CICCYBER RISK STRATEGIST, ORION RISK MANAGEMENT, AN ALERA GROUP COMPANYAN AGC OF TEXAS HIGHWAY, HEAVY, UTILITIES & INDUSTRIAL BRANCH MEMBER Digital transformation in the construction industry is taking hold. The use of project automation software, communications tools, Internet of Things (IoT) devices and other technologies is rising. According to Alera Group’s 2023 Property and Casualty Market Outlook (Market Outlook), the construction industry is increasingly using technology like Building Information Modeling (BIM) to enable all team members to visualize how project components, such as building materials, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems will fit together. This reduces…

AGC Georgia’s eight annual Skills Challenges reach more than 2,000 students BY MIKE DUNHAMCEO, AGC Georgia Throughout our nation, contracting firms need more talent. Just like many of our sister chapters, AGC Georgia places a large amount of resources on workforce development initiatives from both grassroots efforts to high-level advocacy for millions of state tax dollars to be allocated to funding construction curriculum. Over the past decades the industry has not done an exceptional job of encouraging young people to consider careers in construction. Added to that, a big pendulum swing occurred over the past 30 years where influencers told…

Collaboration between key groups is the driver to safer roads BY NICOLE NEEDLES Speeding oncoming traffic, aggressive drivers and frozen water bottles thrown from car windows are just a few things that work zone professionals face daily. These, among other things, are what make work zones so dangerous not only for the workers but the drivers. The steps drivers can take toward the solution are simple: slow down and pay attention. The New York State chapter of AGC of America is committed to improving work zone safety. According to a 2022 study conducted by AGC of America, 64% of highway…

Making the right decision for your employees BY NICOLE NEEDLES When you think of construction, a few things likely come to mind: heavy machinery, road work, buildings or tools. The most iconic construction symbol, however, is the hard hat. It is an inherent object associated with the construction industry, so ingrained that there has been no revisit to the hard hat design itself until the last several years. Although traditional hard hats and safety helmets are only slightly different in look, safety helmets are making an appearance on construction professionals’ heads. What’s the Difference? Hard hats and safety helmets may…