With a looming workforce shortage of 1.6 million skilled craft workers, contractors must ensure they are doing everything they can to keep the ones they already have. The 39 gold, silver and bronze 2014 National Craft Championship winners prove that by sending a competitor to the annual competition, you can create excitement among your trainees and encourage them to hone their skills, work safely and be proud to be a part of your training program.

More than 6,100 career and technical education (CTE) students competed in 99 different craft, technical and leadership fields during the June 2014 SkillsUSA Championships in Kansas City, Mo. SkillsUSA is the national-level competition for high school and college/postsecondary students enrolled in CTE programs.

In order to successfully define and implement workforce development initiatives to best serve ABC members, contractors are invited to take part in a new survey related to training. Three randomly selected participants will be awarded $500 American Express gift cards once the survey is closed.

The Intent to Compete forms for the 2015 National Craft Championships are now available online for ABC members and chapters who think their apprentices and craft trainees have what it takes to win the national title of ABC’s  craft champions. The competition will take place March 3-6 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and Intent to Compete forms are due by Dec. 1, 2014.The 2015 competition will feature the following crafts:

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was signed into law July 22 and has the potential to create great opportunities for ABC members who have been looking for skilled workers to fill the labor shortage. Here’s how it directly affects ABC members:

In the July 16 ruling of Merit Construction Alliance v. City of Quincy, the First Circuit Court of Appeals found that the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) preempts a controversial city ordinance that forced contractors to “engage in a bona fide apprentice training program" registered with the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards as a condition of bidding for city work.

The Leadership Conference, Nov. 11-13 in Miami, Fla., will provide the opportunity for incoming and current board members, chapter staff, industry attorneys and ABC student chapters to learn what it takes to be a successful leader at ABC and in their careers. Attendees will share lessons learned, discover new ways to encourage business growth, and build relationships with industry peers. Here’s who should attend the conference:

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which passed the U.S. Senate June 25 with a 95-3 vote, focuses on strengthening our nation’s approach to businesses’ hiring and training needs and increasing employment opportunities.

ABC May 28 sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives’ Education and the Workforce Committee urging passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). WIOA represents an important opportunity to improve our workforce development system by increasing local business input in developing job training programs and improving access to federal funding for non-union training programs.

The 2014 Craft Professional of the Year award was presented to Robert Stuart, superintendent at Stronghold Engineering in Menifee, Calif., May 2 during ABC’s National Craft Championships and Workforce Development Conference in Birmingham, Ala. The award recognizes Stuart’s work in the industry including his commitment to safety, training and the merit shop philosophy.