West-MEC CTE Program Helps Shrink Labor Shortage
America is dealing with an unprecedented shortage of skilled labor. The Department of Labor reports that while there are 7.6 million unfilled jobs, only 6.5 million people were looking for work. This is the same situation in Arizona. The industries seeing the largest talent gap are construction, healthcare and personal care, followed by computer and […]
Construction Unemployment Rate Down Y-o-Y
Source: Associated Builders and Contractors Estimated February not seasonally adjusted construction unemployment rates fell nationally and in 37 states, rose in 12 states and were unchanged in one state (Texas) on a year-over-year basis, according to an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released by Associated Builders and Contractors. As of February 2020, the construction industry employed 208,000 […]
Infrastructure Spending Drives Strong Q4
Source: Marcum LLP The Marcum Commercial Construction Index for the fourth quarter of 2019 reports healthy levels of construction spending, in large part due to the ongoing strength in infrastructure-related categories. Nonresidential construction spending stood at an annualized rate of $779.6B in December 2019, down 1.2 percent from the previous month but up 4.4 percent year-over-year. The […]
ABC: Construction Contractor Confidence Soaring
Source: Associated Builders and Contractors Confidence among U.S. construction industry leaders increased in November 2019 with respect to sales, profit margins and staffing, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors Construction Confidence Index. Sales and profit margin expectations reached their highest levels since May 2019, while staffing expectations reached their highest level since April 2019. Three-quarters of […]
ABC’s Const. Backlog Indicator Dips in Nov.
Source: Associated Builders and Contractors Associated Builders and Contractors reported its Construction Backlog Indicator fell slightly to 8.8 months in November, a 1.5 percent decline from October’s reading. “Nonresidential construction backlog has generally been trending lower since the spring of 2019, but as a practical matter, this represents little cause for concern,” said ABC Chief […]
Rosemont Mine Delays Will Cost Jobs
By Tony Davis for Arizona Daily Star A local pro-mining group scheduled a mining appreciation event for October, expected to draw at least 450 people paying tribute to an industry employing roughly 7,500 people in Southern Arizona. The theme was going to be “Miracles from Mining,” highlighting what organizers say are its values to the […]
ADOT Program Attracting Women and Minorities
By Karisma Sandoval for Cronkite News The Arizona Department of Transportation is working with education and business leaders to change a dismal statistic — more than 90 percent of workers in the construction industry are men, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. ADOT is working with community college leaders and contractors to integrate more […]
Exec. Order Aims to Improve Worker Education
By Roland Murphy for Arizona Builder’s Exchange Late last week President Donald Trump issued an executive order intended to advance opportunities in education, training and program transparency for American workers. The order establishes the National Council for the American Worker and the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board, which are tasked with solving, “the new challenges […]
Contractor Confidence Remains High in Q2
By Roland Murphy for Arizona Builder’s Exchange While backlogs and revenue expectations for U.S. contractors remain strong, a recent report shows the ongoing labor shortage is now affecting 90 percent of contractors across the country. The Q2 2018 Commercial Construction Index, produced and released by USG Corporation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, reports more […]
$1.5T Plan Could Create 2.6M Const. Jobs. So What?
By Roland Murphy for Arizona Builder’s Exchange From the time President Donald Trump first proposed his $1.5T infrastructure package before the 2016 election, it has been swarmed by more “ifs” than answers. The most recent “if” is also one of the biggest: If it’s ever enacted, it could create 2.6 million construction jobs. A May […]