Apprenticeship & Workforce Development Blog – Page 5

A Message from the ABC Keystone Chair of the Board

Message from the Chair:
Look Forward to Live, Look Back to Learn

It’s time for a bit of reflection. As I look back at my career of over fifty years, it brings me great satisfaction to visualize the journey. If you are like me, I trust that you likewise can look at the history of your career and say, “It was good!”

I’ve heard it said, “Look forward to live and look back to learn!” Just like driving a vehicle, most of your attention needs to be looking forward through the windshield, combined with a small amount of time looking in the rearview mirror. Every one of us has made a mistake at some point in our lives or careers, and we definitely need to look back to learn from it. But if we get fixated on the past – in the rearview mirror – we will surely crash our future! Whether you are early in your race, or nearing the finish line, setting goals and planning for progression sets the tone for victory!

September 3, 2021

Advocacy Update:
Workforce Development Legislation in the Forefront

As ABC members are aware, our association has been advocating strongly for changes to state-mandated apprentice-to-journeyworker ratio rules. Under a 60-year-old rule, merit shop contractors are required to have four journeyworkers supervise each apprentice. On the other hand, joint apprenticeship programs have unilateral flexibility in setting ratios through their collective bargaining agreements. We believe two set of standards is unfair and discriminatory.

August 30, 2021

Message from the Chair: Energize Through Activism!

To my fellow construction industry friends: is it just me, or are you, too, sensing an unfair trend in the policies and practices of the current administration? It sure seems like they are creating an atmosphere that is highly toxic for free enterprise!

I ask you to consider a current bill that is requiring all large government jobs to have a PLA (Project Labor Agreement). Simply interpreted, this means that only union contractors may bid the job. The ramifications of this are obvious – the end of free enterprise as we know it! The passage of this bill means that over 80% of contractors are unable to bid government jobs, and for ABC especially, this is unacceptable.

August 8, 2021

Thank You to Our Capital Campaign Contributors!

When there are member needs to be met, ABC Keystone steps up. The board of directors and committee members are directly responsible for driving the association forward and having the foresight to anticipate future needs.

The most tangible representation of this commitment to forward-thinking is our training facility. When you drive up to headquarters today, you are greeted by a 31,000 square foot facility that is often filled with the sounds of hands-on apprenticeship training in the shop, career development classes in spaces such as the state-of-the-art multimedia room, and possibly even middle school and high school students attending career exploration events and pre-apprenticeship classes respectively.

July 26, 2021

Twelve Lancaster County Students Discover Careers in Construction at ABC Keystone’s First-ever Construction Summer Camp for Girls

Manheim, Pa, July 12, 2021— During the week of June 14-18, 2021, 12 female students from Lancaster County attended a week-long summer camp at ABC Keystone’s training facility in Manheim. The All ‘bout Construction (ABC) Girls Camp (grant-funded by the Lancaster County Workforce Development Board), was a first-ever program offered by the Chapter and provided the students with the opportunity to meet with female construction industry leaders in addition to visiting jobsites of local contractors and learning beginner trade skills. During the week, the campers used the knowledge and training they gained to create their very own steampunk-themed, lighted charging station.

July 12, 2021

Message from the Chair: Stay Focused and in Control!

Are you along for the ride, just going with the flow, or are you directing the course and determining the outcome? As businesspersons, leaders, and managers, are we spending our talents and treasure on those activities that bring the best results, or, are we allowing time and events to slowly divert control of our companies away from our choices and decision-making and instead towards mandates made by government? Are we voluntarily giving up control?

June 28, 2021

Message from the Chair: Preparing for the Future

We are now in the month of June. It is our mid-way point for 2021, and I want to begin by recognizing and congratulating our dedicated Apprenticeship leaders and training staff for a championship year! Cindy DeWire (Director of Apprenticeship), her assistant Erin Hiles, and our instructors have done a great job making this an incredibly successful year – we thank you all for your hard work and dedication! Your outstanding efforts have allowed ABC Keystone to graduate the largest class in over 15 years! 108 apprentices from seven trades walked the stage on May 20, at the Clipper Magazine Stadium (home of the Lancaster Barnstormers)!

June 8, 2021

ABC Keystone Apprenticeship Training Trust Graduates Record-breaking Total of 108 Apprentices

Manheim, Pa, May 25, 2021—ABC Keystone Apprenticeship & Training Trust (KATT) is pleased to announce a record-breaking total of 108 apprentices have graduated in seven trades, including: Carpentry, Construction Craft Laborer, Electrical, Heavy Equipment Operator, HVAC, Plumbing and Sheet Metal. The ceremony took place on May 20, 2021, at the Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster.

May 25, 2021

Local Construction Industry Professional Awarded Craft Professional of the Year from ABC Keystone

Manheim, Pa, May 24, 2021—ABC Keystone is pleased to announce the 2021 Craft Professional of the Year Award (Carpentry) has been presented to George Caldwell (Holtwood), Wohlsen Construction Company (Lancaster). George received an eagle trophy and gift card when the announcement was made during ABC Keystone’s Apprenticeship Graduation & Craft Professional of the Year Award Ceremony held on May 20, 2021, at Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster.

May 24, 2021

Twelve Students Seeking Education in Construction-related Careers Receive Scholarships from Merit Shop Training and Research Center

MANHEIM, Pa, May 5, 2021 – Twelve deserving individuals were recently awarded scholarships from the Merit Shop Training and Research Center (MSTRC). The $14,500 in scholarships for the 2021-2022 academic year brings the total to $550,350 that has been awarded by MSTRC since its inception, helping students entering a career path in the construction industry.

May 5, 2021

Workforce Development Update: April 2021

As life returns to something closer to normal, ABC Keystone is once again hosting workforce and career awareness and exploration events.

The Chapter will hold Construction Wars, its middle school career exploration event, on May 26, 27 and 28. Over 100 students from our region are expected to attend. We’re seeking volunteers to help at the hands-on stations (carpentry, electrical, tool demo, and plumbing) and there are also opportunities to lead a group for the day. Read more…

April 14, 2021

2021 National Craft Competitors Committed to Excellence

The Keystone Chapter has a strong tradition of training Champions, several of which have brought home gold, silver and bronze medals earned at the annual ABC National Craft Championship. Each year, we send a team of top apprentices to this event. Throughout the final three months of 2020, training was once again in full gear. ABC Keystone’s 2021 National Craft Competition (NCC) team put in countless weekend hours preparing for the competition that was to be held concurrently with the ABC National Convention in March 2021. It was certainly a disappointment to all to hear the news in January that although the 2021 convention will go on as planned, the competition had to be canceled again this year due to COVID-19 safety concerns.process of a task or project to help identify waste and eliminate it. While eliminating waste in an organization can sound negative, it is not. Eliminating waste is essential to aid the development of employees and increase organizational efficiency.

February 24, 2021

Workforce Development Update ABC Keystone

Keystone: Locking It All Together

By the time you read this article, you may have figured out February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) month. Though not in the league with other holidays like “National Donut Day” (which is June 4, 2021 – mark your calendars), without CTE your company and the construction industry would not survive.

February 4, 2021

Message from the President-CEO ABC Keystone

Message from the President-CEO: Workforce Development…Now More Than Ever

As we enter February, we celebrate Career & Technology Education, or CTE month. Our partners from the various County Career and Technology Centers (CTCs) are the steppingstone and first rung into developing our Craft Professionals for our industry. We have had a long-standing relationship with both Lancaster CTC and Berks CTC. During 2020, we also entered into a formal agreement with Cumberland/Perry CTC and have opened a positive dialog with Dauphin County Technical School. Read more…

February 4, 2021

ABC Keystone Shifts to 60-65% Green Electrical Energy Operations

(MANHEIM, Pa.) The Associated Builders and Contractors Keystone Chapter is pleased to announce that nearly 60-65% of the Chapter’s electrical energy is now sourced through sustainable solar resources following the installation of a rooftop solar array. ABC Keystone’s 31,000 square foot training facility, built in 2015, was constructed with green energy sources in mind. This solar array, installed on December 3, 2020, is the culmination of this goal.

January 5, 2021

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