AGC's IT Conference 2022, the best-attended conference since 2016, concluded last week, and attendees left Chicago with a trove of new information. The rooms were packed, and people stayed until the end. The conference was even extended until 3 p.m. on the second day!

 

With more than 320 attendees, it was a raging success and included numerous breakout sessions, networking breaks, demos and speakers, including an opening address from AGC Vice President Tom Brown. Another highlight in Chicago was a visit to Oracle’s Innovation Lab, a unique idea incubator designed to help businesses in a variety of industries tackle their most complex challenges. This 30,000-square foot facility provides a hands-on environment to develop new ideas and create solutions leveraging technology from Oracle and more than 30 industry partners.

 

We are very thankful to our sponsors for making this conference possible, and to the network of AGC chapters across the country.

 

We are about to start the Call for Proposals for the IT Conference 2023, and we hope to see you there! Please check the conference page for details in the next two weeks.

In this episode, AGC’s own Jimmy Christianson, Vice President of Government Relations, and Deniz Mustafa, Program Coordinator for the Building Division take a dive into what Buy America/n requirements are, why we have them, and what we may be able to expect from new Buy America Build America Act regulations that come with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. As government agencies work through their individual processes and procedures, AGC would like to prepare members for imminent changes involving material procurement.

 

Each year the AGC Education and Research Foundation offers undergraduate and graduate level scholarships to students enrolled in ABET or ACCE accredited construction management or construction related engineering programs. The application opened July 1, 2022 and closes November 1, 2022. Over $10 million in scholarships have been awarded to more than 4,000 students attending colleges and universities across the country. Through endowments made by AGC members and supporters, as well as AGC Chapters, the Education and Research Foundation awards over 100 scholarships each year to students dedicated to pursuing a career in the construction industry.  Students can click here to apply.  If you have any questions please contact Paige Packard, Program Director, AGC Education and Research Foundation, paige.packard@agc.org.

Construction employment in July continued to trail pre-pandemic levels in 15 states as contractors struggled to find qualified workers to fill openings, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by AGC of America recently. Association officials called on government officials to allow employers to sponsor more foreign-born workers and support more career and technical education to broaden opportunities for individuals to gain construction skills.

 

“Although demand for projects is strong, there are too many states where contractors can’t find enough workers,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “The high level of openings and low unemployment rate among experienced construction workers shows the industry needs more workers.”

 

As increasing numbers of contractors try unmanned aerial vehicles, they are finding more and more ways drones can help them avoid delays, rework, safety issues and increased costs.

.Apply by Monday, October 24, 2022!

 

AGC of America is proud to announce the launch of the 2023 AGC Awards competitions! The Construction Risk Partners Build America Awards (including the Marvin M. Black Partnering Excellence category) and AGC in the Community competitions recognize the nation's most impressive construction projects ranging across the building, highway and transportation, utility infrastructure, and federal and heavy divisions; those contractors excelling in their partnering and collaborative endeavors; and the charitable contractors and chapters giving back to their communities. 

 

The AGC Diversity & Inclusion Excellence Awards recognize contractors that are champions in advancing diversity and inclusion within their workforce, subcontractor-partners, supply chain, the association, and in the communities they serve. The AGC Diverse Business of the Year competition honors an outstanding diverse AGC member-firm that is committed to achieving business success, while also contributing to the association and communities in which they work.

 

In 2018, AGC of America celebrated 100 years of serving the construction industry. While we celebrated and recognized the past it is important that we continue to look to the future to address ongoing issues affecting the industry. In this spirit, AGC decided to make the Innovation Awards an annual award to incentivize and encourage free thinkers to provide pioneering solutions to industry challenges. 

 

Apply by Monday, October 24, 2022 for full consideration. Learn more about AGC of America's awards programs at www.agc.org/awards.