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Craft labor shortages are a serious issue with an enormous impact on project productivity. To gain a better understanding of productivity from their perspective, the Construction Labor Market Analyzer and the Construction Users Roundtable have collaborated in recent years to conduct surveys of construction owners, contractors and unions across the United States.The new CLMA® white paper, Construction Productivity in an Imbalanced Labor Market, assimilates that data and addresses the construction industry productivity and labor shortage challenges. It covers 6 key topics, and is now available for download.Construction Productivity HistoricallyConstruction Productivity TodayProductivity and Project OutcomesImpact of Skilled Labor Shortages on ProductivityMitigating Project RiskImproving ProductivityThe data verifies that an imbalanced labor market is a clear leading indicator of poor productivity. This white paper offers the opportunity to hear from your peers about the labor risk and decreasing industrial construction productivity issues they’re facing.
Reshaping the Construction Industry
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Dodge, ConstructConnect diverge on construction starts trend; PPIs rise in AprilEditor’s note: Construction Citizen is proud to partner with AGC America to bring you AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's Data DIGest. Check back each week to get Ken's expert analysis of what's happening in our industry.Two firms that collect data on the value of new construction starts issued starkly different assessments of April and year-to-date (YTD) starts for the first four months of 2016 combined compared to year-ago periods. April starts slumped 8% from March's level at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, Dodge Data & Analytics reported on Wednesday. "Nonresidential building pulled back [-19%] following its sharp March increase, and residential building also declined [-8%] due to a slower pace for multifamily housing. Meanwhile, the nonbuilding construction sector showed improvement [+10%], with public works strengthening after its lackluster March performance. Through the first four months of 2016, total construction starts on an unadjusted basis were reported...down 12% from...a year ago.
May 23, 2016
On Friday, May 6, 2016, at Brady’s Landing, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Greater Houston and Construction & Maintenance Education Foundation (CMEF) hosted a Membership Breakfast with a theme centering around Workforce Development. Approximately 200 members, educators and supporters listened to a panel of industry leaders speak about workforce training issues affecting the construction industry.“Our members are committed to working together to develop solutions to solve the skilled labor shortage the industry is facing,” said Russell Hamley, President of the ABC Greater Houston Chapter.
May 20, 2016
The following article was written by Don Cerlanek, General Manager of MEMCO (Marek Employment Management Company) Atlanta:Representatives of the City of Atlanta Workforce Development Agency, the American Subcontractors Association - Georgia Chapter, the State Office of Economic Development/Go Build Georgia and the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division recently met with the leadership of Marek, a leading Atlanta subcontractor, to discuss rapidly developing issues linked to a shortage of qualified construction workers in the Atlanta region.The discussions identified the current state of the construction industry in the Atlanta region and across the nation that are creating the skilled labor shortages. These shortages are contributing to the inability to attract new talent into the industry and to companies like Marek. According to the construction industry representatives in the meeting, there were four parts identified as the “problem.”
May 19, 2016
The following article was authored by Rob Vanya of San Jacinto College:San Jacinto College is introducing new courses in HVACR in response to requests by industry partners and to enhance the training of graduates of the program.As with many skilled craft trades, HVACR (heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration) is evolving and adapting due to rapidly changing technology. The San Jacinto College HVACR program offers a wide range of courses and degree options at the North and South campuses, and stays in step with trends and developments by maintaining industry partnerships and advisory committees at both campuses.
May 18, 2016
A shortage of skilled labor along the Gulf Coast inspired global engineering construction company Fluor to open a craft training facility near Houston, where students are trained at no cost to them.
May 17, 2016
The following article originally appeared in the May newsletter to clients of Kiley Advisors, LLC. Reprinted with permission.“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”That statement, attributed to the late Peter Drucker, Founding Dean of the Management Consulting Profession, is never truer than at this very time. Only companies with strong, value-based, magnetic cultures will be the big winners in the business environment that is becoming more evident every day. There is an intense war for talent, and there is a relentless march of technology. Smart companies will have smart people empowered with smart technologies, working in teams, to achieve superior performance targets.So what are the elements of a culture, in light of both the present and the future market conditions, that are proven to attract, retain, develop and excel? Valid research is now confirming the building blocks. First, winning cultures are based on values that stem from deeply held core beliefs about the value of people, the treatments of clients and all building partners, and the obligation of the company to the industry and community.
May 16, 2016
Hi there. The Chamberlin Man here.When you have an MVP on your team, you win. That’s why we’re especially proud to call Chamberlin Roofing Superintendent Curtis Purvis one of our very own.At the recent National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) annual convention, Curtis was named one of the Roofing Industry’s MVPs. As if that wasn’t exciting enough, he also took home the industry’s top honor – the “Best of the Best” MVP award. To be clear, the Best of the Best award is given to only one professional in the country. Our guy, Curtis, was named the “top gun” of our industry. Pretty nifty!Curtis is truly a role model who demonstrates work-related and personal goals to which others aspire. That’s what being an MVP is all about.Curtis was kind enough to share the spotlight with a couple other exciting wins for Chamberlin as a whole. The company received two Gold Circle awards, both for our work at Dallas Love Field. We received an honorable mention in Outstanding Workmanship, Low Slope category and also the highly sought after Gold Circle Safety Award. As the only winner for safety, we’re especially proud of
May 13, 2016
Watch video interviews of Dickinson (Texas) High School students who have completed courses in welding and are preparing to graduate and pursue careers in the construction industry.
May 12, 2016
Employment stalls in April but remains strong year-over-year; spending rises in MarchEditor’s note: Construction Citizen is proud to partner with AGC America to bring you AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's Data DIGest. Check back each week to get Ken's expert analysis of what's happening in our industry.Nonfarm payroll employment in April increased by 160,000, seasonally adjusted, from March and by 2,682,000 (1.9%) over 12 months, and the unemployment rate held steady at 5.0%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Friday. Construction employment rose by 1,000 for the month (to 6,670,000) and by 261,000 (4.1%) year-over-year (y/y). Industry employment reached the highest level since December 2008.
May 11, 2016
