Most construction firms report they are having trouble finding qualified craft workers to fill key spots as the industry recovers from its years-long downturn, according to the results of a new industry-wide survey recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials called for new career and technical school programs, as well as other workforce measures to offset labor shortages. “As the survey results make clear, many construction firms across the country are having a hard time filling available positions,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors. “Considering how much the nation’s educational focus has
With all geographic regions and building project sectors showing positive conditions, there continues to be a heightened level of demand for design services, as signaled in the latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI). As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine- to 12-month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects reported the September ABI score was 55.2, up from a mark of 53.0 in August. This score reflects an increase in design activity (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 64.8,
Employment expansion in Colorado is expected to continue through the fourth quarter of 2014 and into the first quarter of 2015, according to a new report by the University of Colorado Boulder released Oct. 22 by Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler. The Quarterly Business and Economic Indicators Report is prepared by the Business Research Division at CU-Boulder’s Leeds School of Business using data from the secretary of state’s central business registry.During the third quarter, a total of 27,640 new businesses filed with the secretary of state’s office, marking the fastest growth in filings since at least 2006. The third-quarter
I’ve seen a surge in interest for business development training in the past year or two since the economic rebound. I believe this surge results primarily from two factors. • The financial reality that while most firms are still watching their overhead dollars like a hawk, there is more discretionary money available to fund training initiatives that were put on hold during the recession.• A reluctance by some firms to hire (or rehire) full-time business developers. Many were let go during the downturn, and some firms have never filled this role. In their place, many firms have doubled down on
In some cultures rather than asking someone they were just introduced to, “How are you?” people ask: “Have you eaten?” They figure that if you answer yes, you are relatively well and happy, but if you haven’t eaten, that needs to taken care of first. Sharing food is a social activity that’s connected to our basic need to survive. It is a common practice across all cultures and nations to share food, and it brings us together as families and friends. It gives us the opportunity to put down our smartphones and actually talk to each other. Unfortunately, this opportunity
Construction materials prices inched down 0.1% in September but rose 1.6% compared to the same time last year, according to the U.S. Dept. of Labor’s Oct. 15 Producer Price Index. Prices for inputs to construction industries have remained unchanged from June to August—the longest such period since the price index for construction inputs began in 1986. Inputs to nonresidential construction fell 0.2% for the month but were 1% higher than in September 2013. Crude energy materials prices declined 1% in September and are 7.9% lower than a year ago. Natural gas prices climbed 4% in September after decreasing in the
New construction starts in September advanced 10% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $604.1 billion, according to McGraw Hill Construction, a division of McGraw Hill Financial. The increase followed an up-and-down pattern during the previous two months and brought activity to its highest level so far during 2014. Nonresidential building registered a sharp gain, helped by an elevated pace for several institutional categories plus another brisk month for manufacturing plants, while the nonbuilding construction sector (public works and electric utilities) also strengthened. Running counter in September was a decline for residential building. During the first nine months of 2014,
Distributed solar photovoltaic system prices dropped by 12% - 19% nationwide in 2013, according to the third edition of a jointly written report on PV pricing trends from the Dept. of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, Calif. In addition, 2014 prices are expected to drop another 3% - 12%, depending on system location and market segment. Industry analysts expect this trend to continue over the next couple of years, keeping the nation on track to meet the DOE SunShot Initiative’s 2020 targets.“These price drops are consistent with previous annual reductions achieved
The Arizona Builders Alliance and the Arizona chapter of the Association of General Contractors held a Joint Economic Forecast Seminar Oct. 15 in Phoenix that featured AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson who discussed Arizona’s construction industry and his forecast for the state’s 2015.While much of the construction industry in America has been on a fairly steady upturn lately, Arizona remains one state is not following along with the trend, he said, citing such evidence as a loss of construction jobs and that spending had receded to early recovery levels. While Arizona construction firms might wish for greater growth, Simonson pointed
Driven mostly by losses in Arizona, Southwest construction employment dipped in September, according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics earlier this week, but the losses in the Grand Canyon state are buoyed by gains in Nevada and steady performance in New Mexico.In Arizona from August to September 2014, slightly less than 3,000 construction jobs were lost. Construction employment is down to 115,500 in September 2014 from 118,200 in August 2014. Year-over year, construction jobs in Arizona have declined from 123,100 in September 2013 — a loss of about 7,500 construction jobs.From August to September 2014, Nevada
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