AGC's 2015 President Chuck Greco is the focus of Constructor's March/April cover story. In it he talks about his broad theme and big dreams for the AGC membership this year. Other features to check out include "Ready to Hire Again: The Construction Hiring and Business Outlook" infographic, "Wage Wars" and our "Technology Toolbox" column.

This issue also includes a Midwest Workforce Shortage Report, Ken Simonson's economic news, and a story on AGC's recent multi-employer reform victory.
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AGC's 96th Annual Convention kicks off this week in San Juan, Puerto Rico.The mobile app is now available for download. Free and optimized to run on your smartphone or iPad, the app will provide you with all the conference information you need. Learn More...

 

 

AGC annually participates in National Work Zone Awareness Week to highlight the dangers motorists not obeying speed limits or not staying alert in highway construction work zones pose for construction workers and motorists. This year's National Work Zone Awareness Week will take place March 23-27, 2015, with the theme "Expect the Unexpected." To get a better handle on the impact of vehicle crashes at AGC member work sites, we have prepared this brief survey. Please take a few minutes to complete it today. AGC will be releasing the survey results as part of Work Zone Awareness Week events. The deadline to complete this survey is Tuesday, March 17. Learn More...

 

Construction employers added 29,000 jobs in February and 321,000 over the past year, reaching the highest employment total in six years, as the sector's unemployment rate fell to an eight-year low of 10.6 percent, according to an analysis by AGC of America. Association officials cautioned, however, that construction jobs in the highway and transit sector were at risk because of Washington gridlock. "Despite challenging weather conditions in much of the country, both the number of workers and their average weekly hours rose last month to the highest levels since the recession," said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. "There are lots of good-paying, full-time jobs available in construction, with more work on the way." Learn More...

 

In Texas, 48 percent of construction firms report having a hard time filling both professional and craft worker positions. If they can find the talent, 19 percent of Texas contractors expect to hire more than 25 new workers in 2015. Twenty-four percent expect to hire between six and 15 new workers, while 38 percent need to hire between one and five new workers. The San Antonio Chapter, the American Subcontractors Association, and the Construction Leadership Forum are working with Bexar County and Texas Construction Careers to host an important job fair Wed., April 15, 2015, at the San Antonio Airport Hilton. It will be held from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. The price for participating employers is $175. The job fair will connect former oil field workers and other qualified job seekers to meaningful, well-paying jobs in the local construction industry. The event will also include students, military veterans, and those currently enrolled in local craft training programs. Learn More...

 

Allensworth & Porter—an Austin chapter member—recently announced the addition of Amy Emerson as a partner with the firm. Emerson assumed her role on Feb. 16, 2015. Learn More...

 

C.W. Driver, a San Diego Chapter member, has been awarded a $9.4-million design-build library project in San Diego County. The Alpine Library marks the third design-build project, as well as the third library for which C.W. Driver has been selected as the design-builder by the County of San Diego. Scheduled for completion in spring 2016, the project is designed to target LEED® Gold certification and will be the county’s first zero-net-energy building (ZNE). Learn More...

 

Jeffrey A. Raday, P.E., president of McShane Construction Company, a Builders Association member, recently announced the completion of Midtown Square on behalf of Trammell Crow Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary High Street Residential. Learn More...

 

The Tucson Airport Authority recently selected Sundt Construction, Inc., a member of multiple AGC chapters, as the construction manager at risk for a terminal upgrade project expected to begin in late 2015. The project’s construction cost is budgeted at $18-23 million. Learn More...

 

S. W. Cole Engineering, Inc. (S.W. COLE), a geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing and geo-environmental services firm and member of AGC of Maine and AGC of New Hampshire, has formed a wholly owned subsidiary named S. W. Cole Explorations, LLC (S.W. COLEx) . The new company will support S.W.Cole’s geotechnical engineering and geoenvironmental projects by performing test boring explorations. Learn More...

 

 

Hiring Fairs