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Think about Rains' Rules the next time that one of your new hire millennials wants to know what he or she can do to make a difference in their career and your business. Tell them about Rains' Rules of Marketing and tell them to “See the people.”
Reshaping the Construction Industry
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November 23, 2015
More states add construction jobs in October; construction price and cost PPIs divergeEditor’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.Seasonally adjusted construction employment rose in 43 states and the District of Columbia from October 2014 to October 2015 and declined in seven states, an AGC analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released today showed. The number of places with year-over-year (y/y) gains was the most since February. California again added the most construction jobs (49,800 jobs, 7.3%), followed by New York (21,900, 6.4%) and Florida (18,700, 4.6%). Arkansas again had the steepest percentage gain (18%, 8,200 jobs), followed by Idaho (12%, 4,400), Kansas (12%, 6,900) and Nevada (11%, 7,100).
November 23, 2015
Recently, C3 Operations Manager, Maria Aimone, and I had the privilege of participating in the Associated Builders and Contractors Construction Careers Expo held at the Pasadena Fairgrounds. Given that Maria and I do not have much experience with career fairs, we were not sure what to expect. However, we were very impressed! All totaled, there were 390 high school seniors from 12 different school districts and 24 high schools who participated, and many of these young people used the opportunity to investigate the many job opportunities available to them as they graduate high school and possibly enter the construction workforce.C3 passed out information regarding the wage scales of various craft trades in the construction industry compared to other jobs in different professions. We also distributed documentation that described the cost of a college education in Texas versus the income-earning opportunity available to an individual entering the construction craft workforce today.
November 20, 2015
A Pennsylvania owner of a drywall and acoustical ceilings company faces a possible 21 years in prison for misclassification violations and perjury, if convicted.
November 19, 2015
How many times have you heard or used the phrases, “We are too high” or “We can’t get low,” as an excuse for losing a bid or a presentation? I have heard it (and used it a time or two) over my career and it has been a long career. I recently heard it again in a focus group that I was leading and got flashbacks that I thought I might share with you.First, I would make the case that you do not want to be the low bidder on any project in the design-bid-build process. My favorite saying from one of my clients is that, “The low bidder is most likely the one who screwed up and overlooked something in their bid process that will cost them and their clients dearly when construction gets underway.” Then there is one from a mentor of mine who said, ”The high bid is either a 'courtesy bid' or someone who thinks we are idiots.” This was usually followed by, “Throw out the high and the low bids and then do a spread sheet for me to evaluate.”Five decades later, the same conversation is still held daily across the AEC industry whether the project is residential, institutional, commercial or industrial and whether you are owner, architect, general contractor, sub or tenant.
November 18, 2015
I was encouraged during the last Republican presidential debate to hear Sen. Marco Rubio talk about the need to "Make higher education faster and easier to access.”"For the life of me, I don't know why we have stigmatized vocational education,” Rubio said. “Welders make more money than philosophers. We need more welders and less philosophers,” he said, adding that “if we do this we will be able to increase wages for millions of Americans."Here is what he said in full:
November 17, 2015
October 1, 2015 was a star-studded night at the Wortham Theater Center as some of the best and brightest in the construction industry were honored at the Associated Builders and Contractors Greater Houston chapter’s (ABC) annual Excellence in Construction (EIC) Gala. Member companies submitted their best work to compete in various categories while hoping to win the coveted traveling award: Best of Houston. Talk about bragging rights!More than 200 guests attended the dinner and ceremony. The charismatic Jose Griñan of FOX 26 News was the event’s emcee. Anxious finalists and guests were treated with light-hearted jokes and words of encouragement as he announced the Merit and ICE award winners throughout the night.To keep the voting fair, an outside firm was chosen to decide the Best of Houston award winner. SpawGlass was awarded the Best in Houston Award for the Port Arthur Savings Renovation Project.
November 16, 2015
Editor’s note: The following remarks were presented by Pat Kiley at the SER-Jobs for Progress 50th Anniversary “Building Our Workforce” Gala on Oct 16, 2015.In his current New York Times bestseller, The Road to Character, heralded author, David Brooks, reprinted this quote: “What people of character say about themselves, is the smallest part of what people of character give of themselves. People of character let their actions and their behaviors make their statements.” And by this standard, the family that we honor here tonight – this Tellepsen Family; these second-, third-, and fourth-generation descendants of immigrants from Norway; this family of demonstrated character by this high standard – is writing a body of work equal to any of the great literary or symphonic achievements.It is evident that they have been given a strong value-based foundation, values of faith, family, service to others and learning. It is also evident that they have been exhorted since their earliest days to “be involved with something bigger than themselves” and to “give when they did not have so they would be sure to give when they did.”
November 13, 2015
Many students seeking a certification already possess a four-year degree and have decided to learn a trade in order to make a better living for their families.
November 12, 2015
Employment strengthens in October; ABI, housing starts pick up in SeptemberEditor’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 increased by 271,000 in October, seasonally adjusted, and by 2,814,000 (2.0%) year-over-year (y/y), while the unemployment rate dropped to a 7-1/2 year low of 5.0%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Friday. Construction employment rose by 31,000 for the month (to 6,434,000) and by 233,000 (3.8%) over 12 months.
November 11, 2015
