Four newly registered electricians were lauded by their employer, course instructors and industry peers at a private graduation ceremony in Greenville, S.C., on Friday, September 6, 2019. The celebration recognized the group’s successful completion of a rigorous four-year, electrical apprenticeship program registered with the S.C. Department of Labor. The Upstate Electrical Apprenticeship Program is a partnership among…
Apprenticeships
ABC Carolinas Chapter Recognizes Class of 2019 Apprenticeship & Craft Training Graduates
Charlotte, NC — Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Carolinas Chapter celebrated the graduating Class of 2019 for the Chapter’s Apprenticeship & Craft Training Program by hosting the ceremony at the Charlotte Knights baseball game on Thursday, June 6, 2019. Included in the festivities was a Keynote Address by Kathryn Castelloes, ApprenticeshipNC Director, and the pre-game…
CarolinaPower Apprentices Place in Charleston Electrical Contractors Association (CECA) Competition
CarolinaPower’s Richie Seely and Branden Panausuia placed in the 2019 Apprenticeship Skills Competition hosted this spring by Charleston’s Trident Technical College. Seely took second place in the First-Year Apprentices division while Punausuia came in third among Second-Year Apprentices. The 2019 Apprenticeship Skills competition was part of the annual Electricians Fair and Career Day jointly sponsored…
Graduates of Upstate S.C. Electrical Apprenticeship Program Honored at December Ceremony
Four newly registered electricians in Upstate South Carolina were lauded by their respective employers, course instructors and others at a private graduation ceremony last month. The celebration recognized the group’s successful completion of a rigorous four-year, S.C. Department of Labor registered electrical apprenticeship program. Registered apprenticeships are employer-sponsored training programs that produce highly skilled…
Recruiting
FlexJobs’ Survey Explores Varying Workplace Attitudes of Millennials and Older Workers
FlexJobs released new insights from its August 2018 survey, which gathered responses from over 3,000 workers about key topics related to career, work flexibility, and workplace issues. FlexJobs specifically analyzed and compared responses from members of the millennial generation with those who identified with the baby boomer or silent generation to uncover differences and similarities…
Construction Employment Increases, Despite Challenges Finding Talent
Construction employment increased in 256 out of 358 metro areas between April 2017 and April 2018, declined in 63 and was unchanged in 39, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said that the data showed a continuation of strong labor demand…
Spring 2018 Career Fairs
With the strong economy and growing demand for construction services, construction firms are seeking employees at all levels of their organizations. The GroundBreak Carolinas staff has compiled a list of upcoming construction management career fairs. Clemson Feb. 6 NC State Feb. 7 NC A&T Feb. 22 ECU Feb. 28 Are you aware of another career…
Go Build America Launching December 2017
Before Go Build was launched in 2010, the organizers looked at the multitude of approaches that industry organizations and associations had taken over the years in an attempt to address the continued labor crisis and communicate with young people about the trades. The Go Build Team quickly realized – just as those groups did –…
Safety
Recognizing the Value of a Safety Program
Evaluating Safety’s Return on Investment (ROI) When discussing corporate safety, it is common to hear catchy taglines such as: Safety is #1; Safety is Our Top Priority; Safety Above All Else; and Safety First. As an occupational safety consulting firm, we are thrilled to hear that organizations are placing a high value on safety when considering their…
Autodesk and AGC to Provide Construction Industry with Custom-Fitting Safety Harnesses for Women
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls are the leading cause of private sector worker fatalities in the construction industry. Everyone who works at heights, whether it’s on a roof, scaffolding, or the edge of a tall building, should have properly fitting safety harnesses, yet not all contractors have the supply they need to…
ABC Highlights Value of Leading Safety Indicators During OSHA Public Meeting
Associated Builders and Contractors Vice President of Health, Safety, Environment and Workforce Development Greg Sizemore spoke at a Nov. 7 Occupational Health and Safety Administration public meeting on leading indicators for safety and health programs. In his remarks, Sizemore emphasized the importance of leading indicators as a proactive measure to prevent workplace hazards and reduce…
U.S. Department of Labor Implements New Weighting System For Workplace Safety and Health Inspections
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that it has recently implemented the OSHA Weighting System (OWS) for fiscal year (FY) 2020. OWS will encourage the appropriate allocation of resources to support OSHA’s balanced approach of promoting safe and healthy workplaces, and continue to develop and support a management system…
Training
Duke Energy Awards $3.2 million to Innovative Education Programs
Duke Energy announcedit is awarding $3.2 million in grants to support 131 innovative K-12 education programs across the communities served by the company. “Bright futures begin in the classroom, and every child deserves a fair chance at academic success,” said Cari Boyce, president of the Duke Energy Foundation. “The grants we are making today are…
NCCER Releases New Construction Superintendent Certification Program
NCCER has released a new superintendent assessment and is partnering with FMI® to offer a joint certification to qualified professionals in the superintendent field. The assessment was developed in conjunction with subject matter experts for professionals whose primary role is to oversee the operations of a construction site from planning to completion. This joint certification…
Kirlin Holds Mechanical Systems Seminar for GC Interns and Early Career Employees in Carolinas
The Carolinas offices of Kirlin hosted a total of five “lunch & learns” in Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C., and Greenville, S.C., attended by over 150 general contractor interns and early career employees. The purpose was to learn more about the mechanical trade and how Kirlin remains at the forefront of mechanical systems, technology and products. …
Tax Reform Enables ABC Members to Hire and Train More Construction Industry Workers
As a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in December 2017, 55 percent of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) contractor members plan to hire more employees, and 52 percent plan to invest in workforce development, according to a recent poll. In addition, 90 percent of member companies say employees have seen an…
Veterans Programs
ABC, USVBA Agree to Promote Veteran Construction Businesses
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and the U.S. Veterans Business Alliance (USVBA) recently signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on expanding the participation of veteran and disabled veteran businesses in the merit shop construction industry. “ABC members are committed to achieving a fully inclusive and culturally competent workforce that is welcoming to all people,…
Making the Move from Military to Industry
I’ll admit, I’m in awe of the range of skills our veterans are learning in the military—from pipefitting to heavy equipment operation—and the connection to our industry. It seems like it would be a natural transition from the military to industry but it can be complicated. Terminology in skill levels and jobs are just a…
A Month For Heroes
November is a month that we traditionally try to give thanks and acknowledge the good in our lives. We get together with friends and family; we cook big meals or find a quiet restaurant; we share something we’re thankful for each day on social media; and we hope that we’re able to sneak home leftover…
Hard Hat Heroes Expansion Provides More Opportunities for Veterans
NCCER is excited to celebrate the one year anniversary of their Hard Hat Heroes Credentialing Portal this Veterans Day. NCCER salutes our veterans by providing resources to help create a seamless transition into the construction workforce. The Build Your Future (BYF) military initiative, Hard Hat Heroes, provides a way for veterans to receive NCCER credentials…
More Workforce
CarolinaPower Supports AGC Electrical Skills Competition for High Schoolers
CarolinaPower, a leading electrical contractor with four offices in South Carolina – including North Augusta, recently joined forces with its GA-based sister company, MetroPower, to introduce future career opportunities to aspiring electricians. On November 14, AGC Georgia’s regional Workforce Development Alliance provided Augusta-area high school students the opportunity to compete in more than 10 categories, including…
Recognizing the Value of a Safety Program
Evaluating Safety’s Return on Investment (ROI) When discussing corporate safety, it is common to hear catchy taglines such as: Safety is #1; Safety is Our Top Priority; Safety Above All Else; and Safety First. As an occupational safety consulting firm, we are thrilled to hear that organizations are placing a high value on safety when considering their…
Construction Workers Most Likely to Use Opioids and Cocaine
According to a new study by the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) at the NYU College of Global Public Health, construction workers are more likely to use drugs than workers in other professions. Published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, the study shows that construction workers are the most likely of all…
Autodesk and AGC to Provide Construction Industry with Custom-Fitting Safety Harnesses for Women
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls are the leading cause of private sector worker fatalities in the construction industry. Everyone who works at heights, whether it’s on a roof, scaffolding, or the edge of a tall building, should have properly fitting safety harnesses, yet not all contractors have the supply they need to…
