The developing Ebola crisis in West Africa has prompted some owners to halt projects in affected countries and evacuate employees and contractors. Others are stepping up measures to cushion their employees from the deadly virus that has killed at least 1,060 people and infected another 1,975 across Liberia, Nigeria, Guinea and Sierra Leone.Some forecasters see economic impacts from the outbreak on affected countries.Luxembourg-based steel and mining company ArcelorMittal announced earlier in August that it has suspended the second phase of its iron-ore expansion project in Liberia meant to increase shipments from 4 million tonne-per-year to 15 million by the end
Related Links: Bureau of Labor Statistics employment rate for July 2014, including data tables Comments and analysis from Associated General Contractors of America Chief Economist Ken Simonson Comments and analysis from Associated Builders and Contractors Chief Economist Anirban Basu Construction’s employment trend stayed positive in July as the industry’s jobless rate declined to 7.5% from June’s 8.2% and the industry gained 22,000 jobs, the Labor Dept. has reported.The Bureau of Labor Statistics' latest monthly employment report, released on Aug. 1, also noted that construction’s rate was well below the July 2013 mark of 9.1%.Nearly all construction sectors picked up jobs
Courtesy of Africa Political & Economic Strategic Center Strike by 200,000 union metalworkers in South Africa had disrupted materials delivery to construction sites and halted some projects. Two of South Africa largest workers unions have called off a crippling strike involving more than 200,000 engineers and mining and metals workers, which had starved construction contractors of materials and disrupted work at two of Africa’s largest coal-fired power plants.The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa accepted terms from the Steel and Engineering Federation of South Africa to raise salaries for the lowest paid workers up to 10% and reached compromise
Related Links: Industry Seeks Creative Solutions to Growing Workforce Shortages Industry Needs to Coordinate Its Workforce Solutions Gone are the days when hosting a booth at the local job fair was all it took to convince high school students to seek a career in construction. After decades of relying on status-quo recruitment methods, the industry is looking to more creative, hands-on approaches to win over the next generation and improve its image as a place to build a career.Over the past two decades, the pipeline of young workers entering the industry has slowed to a trickle. The main problem is
The continuing slow-growth economy has already created tighter budgets and stricter schedules for architects, engineers and contractors. Add in a looming shortage of talent as Baby Boomer employees start to retire in expected record numbers—and the issue escalates into a serious problem.While there seems to be no silver bullet for this dilemma, the good news for firmsis that young professionals often referred to as Generation Y or Millennials, have skills rooted in entrepreneurship, technology, and collaboration—skills that can help counter some of the sector’s emerging challenges. For many Millennials, there is no reminiscing on the industry’s “good times.” Fewer bidding
Related Links: Bureau of Labor Statistics June employment report, with data tables Associated General Contractors of America release and analysis of BLS report Associated Builders and Contractors release and analysis of BLS report Construction’s employment picture is getting a bit brighter, as the industry added 6,000 jobs in June and its jobless rate dipped to 8.2% from May’s 8.6%.The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ monthly employment report, released on July 3, also showed that construction’s jobless rate last month was markedly better than June 2013’s 9.8% level and was the industry’s best monthly figure in nearly six years.Construction segments had mixed
Diggerland USA Revamped JCB excavator, called Spindizzy, takes Diggerland USA visitors on a 360-degree aerial ride. Related Links: Diggerland USA Website ENR: Las Vegas Heavy Equipment 'Theme Park' Brings Bulldozing to the Masses Modeled after a successful U.K. enterprise, Diggerland USA hopes to provide some family fun and get kids introduced to—and enthused with—big construction machinery.The construction equipment-themed amuse park opened in June in New Jersey as a family-centric attraction featuring machines revamped for adults—and kids— to ride and operate.Diggerland USA, in West Berlin, N.J., 30 miles east of Philadelphia, was launched by the Girlya family, owners of Sambe Construction
Photo Courtesy of ESA Bucknell U. Engineering Success Alliance students trek through New York subway site. Courtesy of ESA ESA Program offers selected students mentoring, tutoring and industry connections to boost engineering graduation rates. Related Links: Engineering Success Alliance at Bucknell University Graduating from an under-resourced high school in Canoga Park, Calif., a predominantly Hispanic section of Los Angeles, Oswaldo Galicia knew an engineering college major would be a challenge."There are very few AP courses offered, and most of them did not prepare you adequately to pass the exams, especially in math and science," he says. "In AP Calculus and
Devotion to work and technical prowess may not be enough to boost women up the ranks among construction industry employers; they also need to beat their own drums for better roles on jobsites and in boardrooms. Women executives from industry firms urged more than 300 mostly younger female attendees at the ENR Groundbreaking Women in Construction conference to seek ways to raise their profiles to coworkers, bosses, clients and outside peers.
NYS Thruway Authority Workers perform test welds on Tappan Zee bridge; megaproject has begun using robots from a Louisiana firm to handle workload Related Links: ENR: Drifting Barges Lead to Payment Penalty For New Tappan Zee Bridge Builders The Journal-News: Robotic Welders are Helping Build the Tappan Zee Bridge With qualified welders in short supply on the $3.9-billion Tappan Zee bridge north of New York City, contractors have brought in robots from Louisiana—a move that prompted new disagreement among organized labor, nonunion groups and project owner the New York Thruway Authority over the job's project labor agreement.The robotic welders, supplied