AGC's Supervisory Training Program (STP) is a construction-specific training curriculum developed, updated and field-tested by and for contractors. Unit 6: Understanding and Managing Project Costs, fifth edition, was released today and has been extensively updated to provide the most up-to-date information for construction supervisors. STP has been the professional development resource of choice for more than 122,000 construction supervisors and managers and provides an unmatched learning experience for participants.

Following completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Apply basic management ideas, principles, and skills that will enable them to immediately manage the crew on the construction project more effectively
• Apply important cost management principles to any project
• Recognize how cost reporting can improve the overall success of a project
• Recognize the process of estimating and pricing, from concept through detailed estimate to change orders
• Determine all project costs and manage them proactively
• Recognize and mitigate various risks and potential delays that could impact the success of the project

Preview the new unit with a free webinar on November 3, 2009, from 2:00-3:30 PM. Registrants will also have the opportunity to purchase copies of the new fifth edition of Unit 6 at a discounted rate of only $90 per book (plus $5 shipping and handling).

Copies of the fifth edition of Unit 6 will be available for purchase in the AGC Bookstore beginning October 27, 2009 (at this time the fourth edition will no longer be available for purchase).

Learn more about the Supervisory Training Program at www.agc.org/STP, or contact Stephanie Mullins at curriculum@agc.org or (703) 837-5387.

All but 12 communities nationwide saw declines in construction employment between September 2008 and 2009, according to a new analysis of metropolitan area employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released today by AGC. That analysis found more construction jobs were lost in Phoenix, AZ (35,100) than in any other city in America.

Read AGC's press release and view the city-by-city employment data here. The news was covered by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Kansas City Star and Baton Rouge Advocate, to name a few.

For more information, contact Brian Turmail at (703) 837-5310 or turmailb@agc.org.

Construction employment again declined in large numbers in all but one state this September compared to last year according to AGC's analysis of new state-by-state employment figures released Wednesday by the federal government.  AGC also found that the number of states gaining construction jobs from August to September 2009 declined after increasing during the two previous months.

Read AGC's press release here.  Read coverage of the release from the Phoenix Business Journal, Clarion-Ledger, and Boston Business Journal.

When Chris Doris lost his construction job in Reno, it wasn’t just his bank account that took a hit.  As this Reno Gazette Journal story shows, even one lost construction job spells economic troubles for local restaurants, retail, government and financial institutions.  Anyone that wants to understand what the multiplier-effect means for the strength of our economy should read this story and support our construction industry recovery plan, “Build Now for the Future, A Blueprint for Economic Growth.”

Read the article here, and get more information on the recovery plan here .

AGC and the Clean Air Task force called on Congress to give states the authority to require diesel emissions reductions on federally-funded transportation projects.  The two groups agreed, however, that any such requirement should be made via a contract change order and that the cost of the reductions should be fully covered with federal funds.

Read AGC and the CATF release here, and the Clean Construction Principles here.

The announcement was covered by Greenwire/New York Times.

For more information, contact Brian Turmail at (703) 837-5310 or turmailb@agc.org.

Three-year-old Jack Skinner learns about safety during Festival of the Building Arts.

AGC presented Festival of the Building Arts at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., on October 10.  The event is designed for children and includes fun construction-related activities, including dry wall finishing, woodworking and nail driving, as well as the opportunity to meet and talk with plumbers, architects and landscape designers.

AGC distributed child-sized hard hats, toy trucks and posters of construction equipment, which were received with excitement by more than 2,000 children.  AGC also presented "Safety for the Little Builder," with the help of Justin Rihn, safety manager for Clark Construction.

Justin Rihn from Clark Construction shows attendees of Festival of the Building Arts how construction workers stay safe.

The event was promoted on the local Fox news station.  Watch the broadcast here.

For more information, contact Monica Cardenas at (703) 837-5364 or cardenasm@agc.org.

A new article in the September/October issue of Constructor magazine shows how collaborative safety partnerships between the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and contractors are saving lives and reducing injuries.

Read the article here.

In September, AGC released the results of an analysis that showed the collaborative approach has reduced safety incidents 38 percent over the last ten years, since the federal government implemented a collaborative approach.

For more information, contact Monica Cardenas at (703) 837-5364 or cardenasm@agc.org.

During the annual National and Chapter Leadership Conference on Capitol Hill, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (Ore.) and Senator Richard Burr (N.C.) were on hand to discuss some of AGC's top legislative issues with AGC Chapter leaders.

Congressman Earl Blumenauer addresses meeting attendees on October 6.

Blumenauer called for greater transportation investments and will work to attract over $1 trillion in new investments in water infrastructure.

Senator Richard Burr discussed health care reform.

Burr focused on health care and explained that getting reform right is crucial to the business community.

For more information, contact Brian Turmail at (703) 837-5310 or turmailb@agc.org.

An AGC advertisement in today's The Hill newspaper calls attention to the dire state of the construction industry and directs readers to AGC's "Build Now For The Future, A Blueprint for Economic Growth," which was released last week.  The Hill reaches more than 21,000 people each day, more than 12,000 of which are circulated on Capitol Hill.

For more information, contact Brian Turmail at (703) 837-5364 or turmailb@agc.org.

The national unemployment rate for the construction industry rose to 17.1 percent as another 64,000 construction workers lost their jobs in September, according to AGC's analysis of new employment data released Friday. With 80 percent of layoffs occurring in nonresidential construction, Ken Simonson, AGC's chief economist, said the decline in nonresidential construction has eclipsed housing's problems.

Read AGC's press release here.  This information was included in Investors Business Daily, Forbes and ENR.

For more information, contact Brian Turmail at (703) 837-5310 or turmailb@agc.org.