photo by ap wideworld leaves of grass Legalized use of marijuana in states presents new safety and human-resource challenges for the construction industry. Related Links: Inspection of Marijuana Farms in California Moves Out of the Weeds Philadelphia Building Collapse Leads to Murder Charges High Times: Legalized Marijuana and Drug Testing for Contractors (Electrical Construction & Maintenance) Contractor employees in Colorado and Washington hoping to follow the old adage "Smoke 'em if you've got 'em" and fire up a now-legal joint should know that puts their jobs at risk, even if they do it away from work and on their own
Data courtesy of IIR Industrial spending will rise significantly in Ohio by 2017. Related Links: Shale-gas Project Boom Drives Solutions to Shortfalls Seen in Craft, Tech and Management Jobs Even as a Gulf Coast construction boom takes shape, one market observer foresees a regional shortage of skilled craft labor in the Great Lakes region and the Midwest when, in the next few years, several big industrial projects ramp up simultaneously.By 2016, labor demand in the region will rise to 26.8 million worker hours, from 21.9 million worker hours in 2013, says a report from Industrial Info Resources (IIR), a Sugar
Related Links: Data and tables for December 2012 from Labor Dept.'s Bureau of Labor Statistics Construction Jobless Rate Down In November as Industry adds 17,000 Jobs Mirroring the slowdown in construction volume in cold-weather months, the industry's December unemployment rate climbed to 11.4% from November’s 8.6% as the industry shed 16,000 jobs.But last year also proved to be much better for the construction workforce than 2012, as the industry added an average of 10,000 jobs per month, according to the latest Dept. of Labor monthly employment figures, released on Jan. 10,In addition, the industry’s jobs results last month reflected a
After a nearly eight-year absence prompted by jurisdictional disputes and strategy differences also shared by other disaffected unions, the International Union of Operating Engineers said Dec. 19 that it will reaffiliate with the main group of building trades.The reconnection officially adds 380,750 North American members to the group and nearly 100 apprenticeship programs.The operating engineers has $332.9 million in assets, making it the tenth largest union in the AFL-CIO. The union had never left that organized labor umbrella group but was joined by the laborers’ and teamsters unions in bolting from the building trades in 2006.The unions returned in 2008,
With the completion of a $43-million addition that adds 220,000 sq ft to its training space and more than doubles the size of the facility, the Carpenters' union international training center hopes to host twice the number of "students" it does now.The training center has trained more than 500,000 people since opening in 2001.The addition includes an expanded millwright training area focused on power generation, renewable energy plant construction and maintenance. There is also a scaffolding construction area with a 30-by-60-foot retractable roof, plus 30 classrooms and two large meeting halls.“This expansion will enable us conduct classes concurrently and host
Cameroon, one of West Africa’s promising economies, has announced a 5% salary boost for workers in the construction sector but failed to address their concerns over safety issues and over a simmering dispute over more Chinese workers filling domestic jobs in the industry.According to local media reports, Labour and Social Security Minister Gregoire Owona said the salary increase targets workers in both public and private construction sectors and that contractors are obligated to implement the new pay raise “with immediate effect.” He also said the daily transportation allowance would rise as well.One survey estimated that the average pay for construction
Photo Courtesy Hartford Public High School Academy of Engineering and Green Technology Connecticut academy students designed Nepal school's first electricity system. Related Links: Hartford, Conn., Public High School Academy of Engineering and Green Technology An elementary school in Saldang, Nepal, has electricity for the first time ever, thanks to Hartford Public High School's Academy of Engineering and Green Technology. A group of students designed a solar-powered wind turbine, which was then transported 11,000 miles from Connecticut to the remote Himalayan village to provide the school with heated classrooms and energy to power laptops.Located at an altitude of nearly 13,000 ft,
Related Links: Bureau of Labor statistics release, with data tables AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's analysis and comments ABC Chief Economisg Anirban Basu's analysis and comments The construction industry’s unemployment rate improved in November, falling to 8.6% from October’s 9%, and also was down sharply from the December 2012 rate of 12.2%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported.The latest BLS status report on the nation’s employment, released on Dec. 6, also notes that construction gained 17,000 jobs in November.All construction sectors posted jobs increases last month, led by residential specialty trade contractors, which added 7,100, and nonresidential specialty trade
Related Links: Amid PPP Slowdown, India Turns to Cash Contracts Growth in India's Infrastructure Markets Projected Chinese Firms Face Political Obstacles of Working in India The phrase “human-resource deficit” is seldom associated with India, a nation of more than 1.2 billion people. But this deficit is exactly what’s happening there in the construction industry today, when the growth of the service sector and the movement away from jobs in the industry has led to a deficiency of talented and reliable people.According to a 2011 report by Ernst & Young and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the
Image Courtesy Trilogy Publications Building team career options are showcased in new book aimed at middle and high school students. Related Links: Introducing Those Amazing Builders Outreach Initiative ENR Book Review-Those Amazing Engineers This story was updated on Nov. 19 to include new details on distribution of Those Amazing Builders and involvement of AEC firms in sponsoring book orders for schools. Pushing to fill gaps in the construction workforce, particularly in the building trades, practitioners have teamed with a specialty publisher to showcase to middle- and high-school students what's "amazing" about industry building careers.Promoters hope to distribute up to 100,000 copies