2026 Look Ahead with Christi Powell, ABC Carolinas

GroundBreak Carolinas is pleased to share thoughts and insights from key leaders in the construction industry from North Carolina and South Carolina. Christi Powell, President & CEO of ABC Carolinas, shares her thoughts about 2026.

What is your outlook on the construction industry for 2026? 

I view 2026 as a year of “cautious optimism” and stabilization. While we are seeing mixed signals economically—with some sectors like data centers booming and others cooling—our members are incredibly resilient. I expect a softer start to the year, but as interest rates potentially ease, we should see a renewed momentum in project starts by the second half. It’s going to be a year where strategic planning and strong relationships matter more than ever.

What are you most excited about? 

I am most excited about the new Gaming Curriculum and the Skills Mobile that ABC Carolinas will focus on this year with the help of Stiegler EdTech. This initiative represents a massive breakthrough in how we approach skilled workforce development. By gamifying the learning process and taking training directly into communities, we can engage future industry talent in a way we’ve never done before.

What concerns you the most about the upcoming year? 

The “experience gap” remains my biggest concern. As seasoned veterans retire, we are losing institutional knowledge faster than we can replace it, despite our best recruiting efforts. We have to be laser-focused on not just hiring, but rapidly upskilling and mentoring to ensure that the wisdom of our industry leaders is successfully transferred to the next generation, ensuring safety and quality don’t slip.