When Equipment World magazine wanted to run a special report on the construction industry’s successful efforts to attract new workers, it turned to several programs sponsored by AGC members and chapters.

The 20-page report does note that the construction industry has reported a decline in the number of workers over the past year, but also notes that the energy sector is still booming and the average worker isn’t getting any younger.

Highlights include an article on Crossland Construction’s outreach program for students in grades 5 through 12. Called Crossland Connection, the program partners with schools to help students investigate careers in construction. Crossland has developed a schedule of grade-appropriate activities that begin with a field trip to a small project in fifth grade, with more field trips and career exploration in all succeeding grades. The National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) core curriculum is introduced in grade 9, as are outside speakers. A construction rodeo, where students get to use heavy equipment, takes place in grade 11, as do summer internships. Project management, including a hands-on bidding and estimating unit, are introduced in grade 12.

Other articles focus on the Northwest College of Construction in Portland, Oregon, co-founded by AGC’s Oregon-Columbia chapter, which offers open-shop apprenticeship programs; the Mississippi Construction Education Foundation, which oversees providing NCCER credentials for nearly 5,000 students in 186 high school programs throughout the state; the Construction Careers Center, the nation’s first construction charter school, founded by the AGC St. Louis chapter; and the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia, which works with high school vocational programs around the state, as well as running an annual Career Expo that attracts more than 4,000 students annually and the SkillsUSA student competition.

Equipment World magazine covers economic, legislative, general interest and industry information for those involved in utility construction, road and bridge construction, earthmoving and civil engineering, and commercial and non-residential building. The entire special report can be read online.

Coming in February 2009, AGC of America will release a full-day introductory curriculum on the industry’s hottest topic, Building Information Modeling (BIM).

BIM 101: An Introduction to Building Information Modeling will give participants a broad overview and introduce important concepts of BIM. By participating in this course, attendees will recognize the importance of BIM, understand common terminology, recognize BIM as a communication and collaboration tool, learn about examples of successful BIM usage and discuss issues associated with initiating the BIM process. Designed for construction professionals at all experience levels, this full-day course will feature sessions on:

• The What and Why of BIM
• Technology and Process Integration I
• Technology and Process Integration II
• Getting Started with BIM

BIM 101 is the first of six courses to be developed as part of AGC’s BIM Education Program. This program will be comprised of six levels of courses, administered at multiple levels and organized by degree of difficulty to provide in-depth training on BIM.

BIM 101 will be offered at many of AGC’s 96 nationwide chapters, and can be brought in-house to construction firms or educational institutions. Contact Amy Fields, Senior Director of Curriculum, and Program Development or Stephanie Mullins, Program Coordinator, at curriculum@agc.org or 703-837-5360 to receive more information on this exciting new resource as it becomes available.

The new AGC Project Manager Development Program (PMDP) consists of five 16-hour courses covering the essential skills for early-career project managers and those looking to make the move into project management. PMDP, released in October 2008, is offered nationwide through select AGC chapters, individual construction firms and educational institutions.

The Constructors Association of Western Pennsylvania and the Master Builders Association of Western Pennsylvania have partnered with AGC of America to offer all five modules of the PMDP in early 2009.

The material presented in the five modules of the curriculum, along with the activities and the shared experiences of participants in the course, will help participants learn the essential skills required of all project managers.

The five essential skills covered in the PMDP are:

Module 1: Estimating and Job Costing— January 15-16
Module 2: Contract Administration— February 5-6
Module 3: Project Administration— March 18-19
Module 4: Risk Management— April 9-10
Module 5: Leadership— April 30-May 1

The AGC PMDP is intended to provide:
        • A uniform body of knowledge for member organizations to increase the professionalism of 
           construction project management
        • A mechanism to build institutional stability within a company regarding the fundamentals of
           project management
        • Cost-effective and accessible training for construction project managers
        • Professional development opportunities to enhance existing training offerings

Registration is now open for this exciting series of programs.

Interested in PMDP? Please contact Stephanie Mullins at 703-837-5387 or mullinss@agc.org for additional information or visit www.agc.org/PMDP.

AGC is happy to announce that registration is now open for the next Supervisory Training Program (STP) Instructor Training Workshop; to be held February 5-6, 2009 in Arlington, Virginia.

Designed to enhance training results for those who host STP courses, the STP Instructor Training Workshop is a two-day event that provides the skills essential to effectively instruct STP courses—specifically how to teach adult learners, encourage interaction among STP participants and use the STP manuals to prepare for and deliver courses.

Also, participants will learn how to incorporate visual aids into the curriculum and get the most out of the instructor materials. Each workshop participant will have an opportunity to give a presentation and test newly learned skills and receive constructive feedback.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to improve your STP results! Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis—only 25 seats available! Registration deadline is January 22, 2009. Learn more and register today.

If you have questions about the STP or the Instructor Training Workshop, contact Stephanie Mullins at mullinss@agc.org or (703) 837-5387, or visit www.agc.org/STP.

The award-winning Fuente Bonita designed and built by students of the Furr High School construction academy.

The Houston Chapter AGC presented E.L. Furr High School’s Academy of Construction, Art, Science and Technology (CAST) with a special award at its APEX 8 Awards Gala recently. The CAST Construction Career Academy received the APEX Award for Project Excellence for the Fuente Bonita (Beautiful Fountain).

The chapter has worked with the Houston Independent School District for several years to get the CAST program up and running. It is an integrated-curriculum construction career academy.

Fuente Bonita was constructed on the campus of E. L. Furr High School, and was the first project to be completed by the students in the CAST program. Using industry support, the Fuente Bonita was conceived, designed, and built by students in this program.

Held bi-annually, the APEX Awards Gala recognizes and honors firms for their excellence in construction, their valuable contributions to the community and their demonstrated commitment to skill, integrity, and responsibility. Projects entered for APEX awards represent the vision, creativity, and hard work of developers and owners, architects, engineers and consultants and general and specialty contractors.

AGC of America congratulates the CAST students who worked so hard to design and then build the fountain, and the chapter and its members, which provided funding, technical support, materials and labor for the finished project.

AGC of America is pleased to announce that AGC of Alaska was part of a coalition that received a 2008 Construction Users Roundtable Workforce Development Award at the CURT national convention, held recently in Palm Springs, California.

The Alaska Chapter was a founder and driving force behind the formation of the Alaska Construction Academy (AkCA), which was formed to recruit, train, and employ entry-level workers into construction jobs.

In 2006, the pilot program had more than 450 high school students enrolled in construction trade classes after the regular school day and during the summer months; and more than 100 adults were trained in a specific trade (carpentry, electrical, plumbing, drywall finishing and welding). In the program’s second year, more than 1,500 students were trained in after-school courses in six communities around the state; while more than 300 adults received training. Preliminary reports from the state Department of Labor indicate that 70 percent of those adults are working in construction-related jobs.

The CURT Workforce Development Awards were developed to give significant national and international recognition for extraordinary, exemplary, and innovative training and education programs which either encourages individuals to pursue a career in the construction industry and/or enhance an individual's construction skills.

Academies are held in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Kenai, Ketchikan, and the Mat-Su Valley. Other partners in the Academy include: Alaska State Home Building Association, Mat-Su Home Builders, Kenai Peninsula Home Builders, Greater Ketchikan Builders Association, South East Alaska Building Industry Association, Alaska Department of Labor Workforce Development, Alaska Works Partnerships, Inc., & area school districts.

AGC of Alaska currently provides project management, coordination, and administrative functions for $3.5 million in state grant funds. Contracts will be issued to the local school district and to industry trainers for instruction of high school students and adults. A portion of the funds will go to the Alaska DOLWD, in order to ensure linkages with local Job Centers, and to assist trainees requiring additional employment and training support available from the state.

AGC is also pleased to announce that the ACE Mentor Program of America won a 2008 CURT Workforce Development Award. AGC of America is a longtime sponsor of this program, as are many of our members and Chapters.

ACE has influenced more than 37,000 students to pursue careers in design build profession in a comprehensive exploratory format. In 2007-2008, more than 7,500 students participated in ACE in 102 locations nationwide and anticipate more than 10,000 students to enroll this fall.

On October 29, 2008, The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its final rule revising the federal regulations (29 CFR part 29) that implement the National Apprenticeship Act. The first overhaul of the regulations in 30 years substantially changes both how an apprentice can become a journeyworker and how the system is managed.

The final rule takes effect December 29, 2008, but State Apprenticeship Agencies have up to an additional two years from that date to implement the changes.

In comments submitted in March 2008, AGC generally supported the revisions as proposed and is pleased to see that many of our comments were taken into account in the final rule.

Among key changes, the new rule:
   • Adds two methods – competency-based and a hybrid approach – to the traditional, time-based method
      for an apprentice to obtain  journeyworker status;
   • Allows for the inclusion of technology-based and distance learning;
   • Gives registration agencies the option to issue interim credentials;
   • Establishes a 90-day timeframe for registration agencies to process sponsor requests for registering and 
     modifying program standards and 45-day timeframes for sponsors to notify registration agencies 
     regarding other employment and apprenticeship agreement changes;
   • Provides for reciprocal approval, for federal purposes, of apprentices, apprenticeship programs, and
      standards that are registered in other states for all industries and occupations.  The rule requires 
      apprenticeship program sponsors seeking reciprocal approval to meet the wage and hour provisions and 
      apprentice ratio standards of the reciprocal state;
   • Introduces provisional, one-year approval for newly registered programs.  After one year, programs 
      meeting the regulatory standards either may be permanently approved or have their provisional
      registration extended through the end of the first training cycle;
   • Limits a registration agency to a State Apprenticeship Agency.  State Apprenticeship Councils will continue
      to be required for advisory or regulatory purposes but can no longer be a registration agency; and
   • Includes a new section, 29.6, on performance standards.  Programs will be evaluated on the basis of 
     completion rates, the use of quality assurance assessments, and Equal Employment Opportunity 
     Compliance Reviews.  Programs with completion rates below the national average for that industry and 
     occupation will be provided with technical assistance to help them meet the national average.

All programs currently in effect do not have to be revised as a result of this rule.

In discussing the new rule, DOL personnel said there are several areas where it will be seeking additional policy guidance in the coming months, including: performance standards, electronic media, provisional registration, interim credentials, and competency-based apprenticeship programs.

A short fact sheet, full text of the new rule, press release, and other information on the final rule are available here. Additionally, DOL has set up a specific email: regs.apprenticeship@dol.gov to answer questions related to the new rule. Questions and answers will be posted to the web page referenced above.

Applications for the 1st Education and Training Awards are now being accepted online.

The new program will recognize the most innovative and collaborative training and development programs sponsored by AGC Chapters and contractor members during the 2008 and 2009 calendar years.

An AGC Chapter and contractor member firm will be awarded in each of three categories: Craft, Supervisory, and Project & Executive Management. One award will be given to the outstanding Instructor of the Year. A Grand Award will be presented to a firm or Chapter that demonstrates learning and performance as a top concern, reaching the highest level of excellence for construction training and development programs at all levels of the organization.

EEAs are open to all AGC general and specialty contractor members in good standing, AGC Chapters and individuals employed by these organizations. Non-members may not apply.  Electronic submissions and all supporting material must be received by AGC by 5 p.m. EST on May 1, 2009. For more information, visit here .

Applicants will be judged on the type of program and the major elements of the program, including targeted job  functions; enrolled individuals; history of the program; tools, programs and materials used; and demonstrated improved performance, productivity, and success.

The first awards will be presented at the 3rd Annual Training & Development Conference, to be held Oct. 27-29 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Applicants for AGC’s Construction Project Manager Course can now register online to attend one of the four courses in 2009. This course will help to build your project management skills, earn education credits and stay competitive in 2009.

Today’s challenging climate offers many opportunities for sharp and confident project managers to succeed. Experienced project managers who attend AGC’s Construction Project Manager Course learn from industry experts while networking with their peers gathered from across the country.

Date                                     Location
January 25-30, 2009               Dallas, TX
March 29 – April 3, 2009         Dallas, TX
October 4-9, 2009                  Indianapolis, IN
December 6-11, 2009             Dallas, TX

Participants are eligible to receive the following continuing education credits:
        • 4.2 ANSI/IACET CEUs
        • 42 AIA LUs
        • Continuing Professional Development (CDPs) Units from the 
           American Institute of Constructors(AIC)

Ideal candidates for AGC’s Construction Project Manager Course are project managers with six years of experience or two years of experience and a Bachelor’s degree.

Contact Becky Koury, kouryr@agc.org, with questions or to request more information.

AGC of America will launch the first AGC Campus at AGC’s 90th Annual Convention & Constructor Expo in San Diego, CA.  The AGC Campus will bring together recent college graduates and students with leading construction employers and industry experts for two days of interactive learning, recruiting and networking opportunities. Attendees from more than 125 colleges and universities will be on hand to learn more about careers in construction. AGC Campus will take place at the Convention March 5-6, 2008. To learn how to get your company or school involved, please contact Carrie Harper at harperc@agc.org.