Survey: Return on Investment of Craft Training

The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) is conducting critical research to quantify the impact and return on investment (ROI) of craft training in the construction industry. Construction organizations are invited to participate in this important study by completing this survey.

The survey is comprehensive and should take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete. All information submitted for this survey is confidential and will only be used in summary or aggregated form in the promotion of craft training in the construction industry.

Thank you for your support of construction research!

And please note – once complete, this resource will be available for FREE on NCCER’s website. We thank you in advance for making this survey as authentic and useful for you and others.

AWCI Releases Wall and Ceiling Industry Trends Report

With funding and support from the Foundation of the Wall and Ceiling Industry, the Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (AWCI) partnered with FMI to conduct a comprehensive survey and analysis of industry trends. The findings provide market insights that enable companies in the wall and ceiling industry to think strategically about the market and their businesses.

The goal of the survey was to:

• Gauge AWCI member companies’ near-term sentiments on the performance of the overall economy, the construction industry and their businesses
• Explore areas of increasing importance and strategic priorities for their companies
• Determine top concerns among contractors, manufacturers and suppliers
• Assess member companies’ sentiments on the competitive landscape, current issues and business operations 

“This report will be a valuable resource for our industry, as companies consider their business planning. The /Foundation was honored to support this important initiative,” says Peter Wilhelms, Foundation president.

Some of the key findings include areas of segment demand, labor challenges and project delivery concerns. A majority of respondents anticipate that data centers and health-care facilities will experience favorable growth into 2025. An increasingly remote workforce, growing digital storage and AI processing are fueling the demand for data centers. The aging population and need for outpatient facilities are driving new projects in health care.

With a critical shortage in skilled labor and field management roles in the workforce for the past 18 months, 46% of contractors believe it will remain the same and only 28% anticipate improvement. The roles in most pressing need include skilled crafts/trades, field management, estimators/project managers and general labor. For both contractors and manufacturers, supply-chain disruptions have the most bearing on operations. Strategically, contractors plan to increase their volume of work with existing customers, while manufacturers and suppliers plan to expand product offerings and services.

“Moving forward with regular industry trend reports such as this, AWCI will be able to gauge changes in member sentiment and help determine potential implications to the wall and ceiling industry,” says Michael F. Stark, CAE, AWCI CEO.

This newly released report is now available on their website: www.awci.org/reports-and-trends.

ASA Attorneys’ Council 2024 Fall Meeting Update: Braselton, Georgia

The ASA Attorneys’ Council just wrapped up another successful set of discussions at our Annual AC Meeting in Georgia, hosted by our current Council Chair Clyde “Trey” Copeland. The group discussed the top legal and contract issues facing our membership from their vast and varied experience as construction lawyers. Our conversations covered the gamut from current SLDF cases and the Corporate Transparency Act to the impact of AI on contract agreements. We are excited to participate in more educational sessions at next year’s SUBExcel 2025 conference in Oklahoma City. Members: Be on the look out for more podcasts, articles, webinars and resources coming from the Council. We are in the process of updating state by state resources on Contingent Payment and Anti-Indemnity provisions. Thank you, as always, to the ASA member attorneys who take the time and investment to participate and contribute to these Association efforts!

American Subcontractors Association joins SuretyDIGIT membership

The SuretyDIGIT Coalition is proud to announce that addition of the American Subcontractors Association (ASA) to its growing roster of industry partners, further advancing efforts to modernize and digitize surety bond operations. With over 40 organizations now united under the SuretyDIGIT banner, the coalition continues to gain momentum toward revolutionizing the surety bond industry through digital transformation.

Richard Bright, CEO of the American Subcontractors Association, added: “Joining SuretyDIGIT aligns perfectly with ASA’s mission to improve the business environment for subcontractors and suppliers in the construction industry. Digital innovation in the surety bond process not only improves efficiency but also ensures that our members can operate more effectively, reducing costs and delays for all parties involved. We are excited to be part of this transformative initiative.”

The SuretyDIGIT Coalition brings together a broad spectrum of stakeholders—including insurance carriers, brokers, agents, solution providers, government agencies, obligees, associations, and contractors/subcontractors—to collaborate on digitizing the surety bond process. ASA’s participation strengthens the coalition’s vision of creating a more efficient, secure, and cost-effective surety bond process through digital solutions.

“Having ASA join the coalition strengthens our initiative and ensures the perspective of its members is addressed as we move towards digital bonds,” said Robert Coon, Vice President of Surety at Scott Insurance and First Vice President of the National Association of Surety Bond Producers. “Their engagement, alongside that of over 40 other organizations, underscores the growing industry support for digitization as we work toward a more secure, cost-effective, and future-focused surety bond process.”

As part of its mission, SuretyDIGIT focuses on several key areas to modernize the industry:

• Digital signatures, seals, and power of attorneys 
• Electronic delivery and authentication of surety bonds 
• Enhanced security, transparency, and efficiency for all parties involved
  

The SuretyDIGIT Coalition welcomes prospective members and encourages organizations, individuals, solution providers, surety organizations, agencies, government entities, associations, and contractors to join. The list of members is available on the SuretyDIGIT website.

For more information about the coalition or to join, please visit https://www.suretydigit.org/ or contact information@suretydigit.org.

Congratulations to our friends at NGA

Best Companies Group named National Glass Association a recipient of the inaugural Best Companies Group’s America’s Best Workplaces in 2025 Award. The awards are held in partnership with BridgeTower Media.

Best Companies Group’s America’s Best Workplaces Awards identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment across the United States. It is a celebration of excellence in company culture that honors numerous employers and ranks the Top 10 workplaces in small, medium and large business categories (NGA is in the small business, 15-49 employee category). Winners were previously recognized by Best Companies Group in at least one other data-driven recognition program. (NGA was named a Best Nonprofit to Work For in 2023 and 2024.)

Find more information about the Best Companies Group’s America’s Best Workplaces in 2025.

SBA Labor Safety Roundtable on Dec 13. – OSHA’s Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Proposed Rule

The U.S. Postal Service submitted an extension request asking OSHA to extend the comment period on its Heat Injury and Illness Prevention proposed rule to March 31, 2025. The comment period is currently set to end on December 30, 2024. As explained in the request, the rule is long and complicated and will require significant changes to many workplaces if implemented, so additional time is needed to develop a full understanding of it. Moreover, the current deadline falls during the holiday season when many workers are taking time off, which will make finalizing comments more difficult.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has mentioned that they are anticipating a brief extension will be granted. The SBA is holding a Small Business Labor Safety Roundtable on Friday, December 13th, at 10:00 A.M., and they plan to discuss the Heat NPRM. You can RSVP by emailing Bruce Lundegren at Bruce.Lundegren@sba.gov.

Next Think Tank!

Our next Think Tank meeting will be Wednesday, February 5, 2025, 1 – 4pm in San Antonio, Texas. They’ve promised good weather, so unfreeze your bones from the north, and get invigorated with ideas and inspiration from each other.