Apprenticeship Tax Credit Introduced in Senate
A bipartisan bill was announced in the U.S. Senate yesterday that will provide a federal tax credit for employers hiring new apprentices. The Leveraging and Energizing America’s Apprenticeship Programs Act (LEAP Act) was introduced by Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) to increase employer participation in registered apprenticeship programs and provide skilled […]
Construction Charter School Creates Pathway to Apprenticeships
The following is an excerpt from an article by Joanna Masterson, From Classroom to Career: Ohio Construction Academy Offers High School Curriculum And Apprenticeship Instruction, appearing in the April 2014 issue of Construction Executive. When Bart Hacker was president of the Los Angeles/Ventura Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the first thing he did was meet with member […]
Construction Industry Pledges to Hire 100,000 Veterans
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Feb. 10 joined construction industry leaders from more than 100 companies in support of their pledge to employ 100,000 veterans in the next five years—a commitment that was made during the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Veterans’ Employment in Construction National Symposium. “ABC believes in supporting our troops by providing […]
Construction Training Programs Could Get Federal Tuition Assistance
For students interested post-secondary education, money often weighs heavily in the decision. While federal tuition assistance programs provide support for students interested in pursuing 4-year degree programs at the post-secondary level, they do not offer the same for industry-recognized credentials. It’s no wonder career-specific training programs have no chance at competing. But if a new bill introduced […]
Apprenticeship Budget Will Triple Under Iowa Governor’s New Proposal
When Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R) delivered his “Condition of the State” address, he announced a legislative agenda focused on improving economic development and providing Iowans access to high-paying jobs in high-demand industries. As part of this legislative agenda, the governor’s proposed budget would triple funding to apprenticeship programs. The Associated Builders and Contractors of […]
Construction Projected to Be The Fastest Growing Occupation Over The Next 10 Years
According to its latest 10-year employment and labor force projections, the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has found that employment in the construction sector will grow at an annual rate of 2.6%. Of 19 employment sectors that BLS looked at for the next decade, the construction industry’s rate of growth is tied […]
Apprentices To Recieve Tuition Assistance in Wisconsin
A recently signed bill in Wisconsin will provide a partial tuition reimbursement for students who successfully complete apprenticeship programs and work in the trade in which they were trained. Much like the apprenticeship tax credits we have seen in states like South Carolina, this new program will provide greater incentives for individuals and businesses to […]
Construction Career Training Report Highlights Employer Involvement
Vocational education is in the midst of a renaissance, according to a new report published by the Manhattan Institute for Public Policy’s Center for State and Local Leadership. The report, written by nationally recognized policy expert Tamar Jacoby, makes the case that the growing skills gap and skyrocketing college debt has created the perfect storm […]
Leading the Way to a Better Education
As a Year 4 HVAC apprentice, Dakota Clark has a lot on his plate between attending class, working a full-time job and balancing his personal life. So when he was asked to be the spokesperson for his class, the task seemed daunting, but for Clark, it turned out that being the leader of the Year […]
CTE Hearing Highlights Industry Participation Needs
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives Education and the Workforce Committee held a hearing to investigate proposals for improving career and technical education (CTE) funding programs through the Carl D. Perkins Act re-authorization. In his opening remarks, Chairman John Kline (R-Minn.) mentioned the sub-committee testimony of Al Bargas, president of the ABC Pelican Chapter in […]