March 13, 2014 | Volume 6, Issue 5

In This Issue

Construction Employment to Outpace Other Industries

MEDC Annouces Grants

Michigan Unemployment Rate Improves

Follow MI Construction Job Center on Facebook

ABC and National Black Chamber Partner

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Construction Jobs

Prevailing Wage Truth

Construction Employment to Outpace Other Industries

Employment in the construction sector will grow at an annual rate of 2.6 percent for a total of 1.6 million new jobs by 2022-tied with health care for the fastest growing sector, according to 10-year employment and labor projections by the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. Overall, the construction sector is expected to continue growing more than twice as fast as the average for all other industries.

Between 2012 and 2022, five of the 30 occupations projected to grow the most are construction-related. Some of the fastest growing occupations include mechanical insulation workers (46.7 percent); helpers for electricians (36.9 percent); and brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, and tile and marble setters (43 percent). Occupations with the fastest job growth include construction laborers (24.3 percent), carpenters (24.2 percent), and landscaping and groundskeeping workers (12.4 percent). Occupations that typically require an apprenticeship are projected to grow 22.2 percent, which is faster than any other on-the-job training assignment.

This article originally appeared on www.ConstructionExec.com.

MEDC Announces Development Grants

On Feburary 25, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) approval of economic development and community revitalization projects that in total will generate $362 million in new capital investment and create 1,444 new jobs in Michigan.

A major initiative is the MSF approval of $7,600,176 in Downtown Infrastructure Grant (DIG) program funds. All of the projects are located in traditional downtowns, will be completed by December 31, 2014 and will support reactivation of public spaces and incorporate design elements. The communities chosen for awards are the City of Boyne City, City of Big Rapids, City of Durand, City of Evart, City of Harrison, City of Ithaca, City of Lapeer, City of Olivet, City of Owosso, City of West Branch, Township of Michigamme, Village of Constantine, Village of Kalkaska and the Village of Mattawan.The communities will provide a total of $2,715,620 in matching funds.

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams to be built on the campus of Michigan State University also received MSF approval of an inducement resolution for issuance of up to $100 million in private activity bonds for the community share of the project. The project involves more than $600 million in direct investment, mainly from the federal government. The proposed facility will consist of approximately 220,160 square feet of a newly constructed building to adjoin the existing National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory.

The total civil construction cost is estimated to be $165 million. MSU estimates that in the next 10 years, approximately 400 new full-time jobs will be created. When construction of the facility begins, an estimated 5,000 one-year construction jobs will be created.

The Michigan Business Development Program also announced incentives, including construction of a manufacturing facility in Brighton (Eberspacher North America, Inc.), construction of a 80,000 square foot airplane hangar in Oscoda Charter Township (Kalitta Air, LLC), and creation of a new technology center in the City of Ann Arbor (TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation).

The Michigan Community Revitalization Program incentive grants include: renovation of the vacant Milner Hotel in the City of Detroit; mixed-use redevelopment of a building located at 102-128 East Main Street and 108 Ashman Street in the City of Midland; and renovation of the former Strathmore Hotel located at 70 West Alexandrine in the City of Detroit.

More here on the MEDC and its initiatives.

Michigan Unemployment Rate Improves, Snyder says More Work to Do

Michigan's comeback got a big 'thumbs up' last week with the news that the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January fell to 7.8 percent, the lowest unemployment rate in Michigan since May 2008. All told, Michigan's job creators have added more than a quarter million new private sector jobs since December 2010.

Governor Snyder had this to say about the report: "Since day one we've worked relentlessly to bring more and better jobs to Michigan, and today's announcement is further evidence that we are the comeback state.

"Gone are the days when Michigan was known for joblessness, low incomes and population loss. In fact, our economic recovery has gone farther and faster than most every other state. We've added more than 255,000 private sector jobs since December of 2010. We are tied for No. 1 among Great Lakes states and seventh in the nation for per-capita personal income growth. People are staying in Michigan and our labor force is growing. Michigan is now the place to be.

"While this is great, positive news for Michiganders, we cannot simply sit back and enjoy the headlines. We have come a long way in three years, but the reinvention of Michigan is not complete. What we have accomplished are building blocks for future success and we aren't going to stop. The comeback continues."

Follow Michigan Construction Job Center on Facebook!

ABC of Michigan's new construction jobs resource, the Michigan Construction Job Center, has joined Facebook! Follow the MI Construction Job Center page for all our job updates, construction education information, CTE updates, and more.

If you know of skilled workers, students, or folks interested in the construction industry, invite them to like the page - and most importantly, load their resume on MIConstructionJobCenter.com. The service is free for job seekers, and once there, they can take advantage of searching job posts in the construction industry, creating job alerts, and viewing company information.

ABC and National Black Chamber Join Forces to Eradicate PLAs

ABC and the National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) signed a joint resolution March 7, expressing a commitment to promoting fair and open competition on taxpayer-funded construction contracts. The resolution formalizes a long-standing partnership between the organizations who will remain focused on providing value to taxpayers and opportunities for the contracting community by battling government-mandated project labor agreements (PLAs).

"ABC is excited to enter into a formal partnership with NBCC so we can continue our work at the local, state and federal levels," said 2014 ABC National Chairman Dan Brodbeck, president and CEO of Compass Partners, LLC. "Our goal is to ensure government neutrality and fairness during the procurement of public construction contracts so that taxpayers get the best bang for their buck. PLAs drive up the cost of taxpayer-funded projects by limiting competition for public works projects to unionized firms that employ just 14.1 percent of the construction workforce. In addition, PLAs prevent the overwhelming majority of qualified merit shop and minority-owned contracting firms, who employ millions of American workers, from competing for these projects unless they sign a union agreement."

"The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was implemented into the construction industry in 1973," said NBCC President and CEO Harry C. Alford. "Our former Chairman, Dr. Arthur Fletcher, was in charge of that implementation. Every industry except the unionized construction industry is in compliance with this important law. The time has come to enforce implementation by construction unions in the name of liberty and the tenants of our great constitution. Discrimination is a job killer and a parasite on our economy."

The resolution will lead to enhanced coordination between ABC and NBCC in promoting free enterprise and open competition within the public works sector of the construction industry. The groups will share resources to combat political, legal, regulatory and legislative initiatives that promote discriminatory union-favoring PLAs and limit nonunion contractors' abilities to bid on projects.

Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan is a statewide trade association, working in partnership with three local chapters, dedicated to providing Michigan with high-quality, affordable, safe and on-time construction. ABC of Michigan is an equal opportunity organization that opposes all discrimination in the construction industry including discrimination based on union affiliation. A leading construction industry voice with state government, ABC provides many member services including legislative advocacy, networking opportunities, member benefits, legal updates, business development and educational opportunities.