Tag: construction industry: Page 7

Construction Equipment

Construction pros have no doubts over 2015 F-150’s durability: aluminum truck’s weight savings outweigh questions over repair costs

Even though the 2015 F-150 first appeared to the world from under a silk sheet, Ford’s unveiling of what could be its most important vehicle in quite some time didn’t hold much in the way of surprises. After all, much of the half-ton truck’s new look had been toured around the country as a concept […]

August 14, 2014

Business

Workforce development program gives teens a small paid job with classroom time; could be model for construction industry

The Wall Street Journal had an interesting article Thursday describing how a wire factory in Georgia employed high school kids during the summer to help develop their work skills and improve their attitudes and academic performance. The program has the kids do fairly simple tasks in the factory for pay four hours a day and […]

August 11, 2014

Business

Expansion of Oklahoma fertilizer plant could put more than 1,000 contractors to work

The massive expansion of a fertilizer production plant in Oklahoma will likely have quite the impact on the construction industry well beyond its local community. The expansion of the Koch Nitrogen plant in Enid, Oklahoma, will begin in mid-September according to a report from the Enid News and Eagle. The $1.3 billion project will be […]

August 6, 2014

Business

Wages for construction workers and heavy equipment manufacturing workers are on the rise

We’re now five years into the economic recovery following the Great Recession and pay raises, according to a report from the Associated Press, are uneven across U.S. industries. Overall, pay in the U.S. has risen at a rate roughly equal to inflation: about 2 percent per year. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, […]

August 5, 2014

Roadbuilding

U.S. construction industry gains jobs, spending falters

The U.S. construction industry added 22,000 jobs in the month of July, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nonresidential construction accounts for 6,600 of those jobs, including 2,500 jobs in the heavy and civil engineering segment.That’s a huge improvement when you consider only 100 nonresidential construction jobs were added in June. “While nonresidential construction’s […]

August 4, 2014

Business

U.S. construction spending drops 1.8% in June with losses in nonresidential and government projects

Construction spending in the U.S. fell 1.8% in June for the first drop in one year. Construction spending fell to $950 billion in June from the revised May figure of $967.7 billion. Due to the revision of that figure, what was a 0.1-percent increase in May is now an 0.8-percent increase. Total spending is up 5.5 […]

August 1, 2014

Workforce

Construction newbies: How to find your place at the right company and launch a successful career in the industry

In the previous installments of this series I wrote about what it takes to survive your first week and month as a construction newbie (see here,  here, and here). Assuming you survived and have proven to be a dependable employee, here’s some final advice on how to make a career in construction. The key in […]

July 17, 2014

Business

STEM graduates are finding a weak job market. Why that could be a big opportunity to fix construction’s skilled labor woes

A recent article at Business Insider revealed an odd wrinkle in the job market. According to Census Bureau statistics, less than half the college graduates with STEM degrees (science, technology, engineering and math) find jobs in STEM related fields. This wouldn’t be surprising except for the fact that so many people bleat on like a […]

July 11, 2014

Workforce

Construction adds 6,000 jobs in June as industry retains grip on highest employment in 5 years

For six straight months, the U.S. construction industry has added jobs and held tight to its highest employment figures in five years. However, there have been signs of slipping as growth of its workforce slowed considerably in May and fell off even more in June. During June the industry added 6,000, compared to May’s revised number […]

July 3, 2014

Business

If you don’t know how to build a house, how can you build a country?

Last week the New York Times ran a story lamenting the loss of quality and craftsmanship in houses built today. The author also linked that questionable observation (with cringe-worthy logic) to the declining quality of our infrastructure. It’s not a new complaint. But the ignorance of the writer and the editors on what constitutes a […]

July 2, 2014

Business

U.S. construction spending ticks up 0.1% in May despite dip in home building

Construction spending in the U.S. saw a slight increase in May and for the second straight month the gains are largely due to increases in government projects. Construction spending rose to $956.1 billion in April, an increase of 0.1 percent from the revised April figure of $955.1 billion. Due to the revision of that figure, what […]

July 1, 2014

Business

Home starts fall 6.5% in May as apartment construction and permits slow

May represented a down month for residential construction in the U.S. as both home starts and permits decreased. U.S. home construction starts fell 6.5 percent in May as new construction on both single-family homes and apartments saw sizable declines. Builders started new homes at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.001 million, down from April’s […]

June 17, 2014