Construction and Facilities

October is Careers in Construction Month

amschubert — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 11:35:00 +0000

October is Careers in Construction Month amschubert October 4, 2021

October marks National Careers in Construction Month, a time geared toward spreading awareness of the various lucrative job opportunities in the construction field, as well as teaching the basics of construction to students across America.

According to an article by the Construction Workforce Development Alliance of West Michigan, the celebratory month started as an “initiative by the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) to increase public awareness and appreciation of construction craft professionals and the entire construction workforce.”

This year marks the 9^th annual Careers in Construction Month and Build Your Future’s (BYF) the 7^th annual I BUILT THIS! video contest, which allows students and construction professionals in training the change to showcase their projects for a chance to win a prize sponsored by construction giants such as DeWalt and Pearson.

“Everything in the economy begins with construction. We don’t have roads. We don’t have schools. We don’t have factories. None of it exists without skilled craft professionals. It is critically important that we promote these careers,” said Tim Johnson, founder and president of the TJC Group, at SkillsUSA 2018 National Leadership and Skills Conference according to an NCCER press release.

Through NCCER’s goal, organizations across the United States bring in teachers and tradespeople, promote and start social media campaigns, and host job fairs centering around celebrating and educating about the construction field.

Schools and universities act as the staple location for these events by informing the next generation of construction professionals about the lucrative and ever-expanding job opportunities within construction.

Capitol Tech is celebrating this Careers in Construction Month this year by requesting the governor proclaim October as Careers in Construction Month in Maryland. Capitol Tech has celebrated the holiday in years past, profiling sought-after industry jobs such as project managers, machine operators, and electricians, which are three of the top 10 most profitable jobs in construction¹.

Stuck trying to find ideas to celebrate? BYF also features many starter kits on their website on how to get involved with Careers in Construction Month.

This newfound holiday is quite literally built to celebrate construction and the many opportunities the industry provides. Whether by participating on your own or getting your school involved, remember to find some time this October to get to know the construction field.
Capitol Tech offers many programs and opportunities in the construction, facilities, and safety that Careers in Construction Month is all about. To learn more about these programs, visit captechu.edu and peruse the various courses and degrees offered. Many courses are available both on campus and online. For more information, contact admissions@captechu.edu.

References

Construction World. (2019). 10 Most Profitable Construction Jobs. Retrieved from http://www.constructionworld.org/10-profitable-construction-jobs/.

Categories: Construction and Facilities

Increasing Job Opportunities for Women in Construction

amschubert — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 17:32:58 +0000

Increasing Job Opportunities for Women in Construction amschubert September 29, 2021

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Labor Force Statistics, in 2020 women made up 10.8% of the construction workforce, up about 2% from the prior census. However, a survey results issued by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and Safe Site Check In showed that opportunities for women in the construction industry are increasing.

The survey was completed by more than 700 women in construction, across both the private and public sectors, and in a variety of positions—from CEOs to architects to plumbers to welders and everything in between. As such, it provides a well-rounded look at the thoughts of women in the industry.

As shared by Becky Schultz from NAWIC, in an article for ForConstructionPros.com, “71% of respondents agree that opportunities for women in construction are increasing, while 28% believe they are about the same and only 1% reports the opportunities are decreasing.”

Not only are the opportunities increasing, shares NAWIC, the gender pay gap is substantially less than in other industries. NAWIC executive director Crissy Ingram shared that women in construction earn 0.9% less than their male counterparts, on average.

According to Pew Research, across the U.S. in 2020 women, on average, made 16% less than their male counterparts.

While the gender pay gap is substantially smaller in the construction industry, there are still concerns with equal treatment within the construction workplace, according to survey respondents.

“Survey participants were asked to rank employers on a scale of 1-100 in treating men and women equally,” says Schultz. “While more than half responded with a ranking of 80 or above, nearly a quarter of respondents assessed their employer at below the 60 mark.”

The survey also included questions about the impact of COVID-19 on the construction industry, with 58% of respondents saying that they were able to work about the same number of hours during the pandemic as before. Almost a third surveyed indicated their hours had actually increased.

Within the construction industry, job growth is expected through 2029 at a faster than average rate ;than many other industries, across many positions from the construction laborer through the construction manager.

Construction management, in particular, has a much faster than average growth, projected to grow 8% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook for Construction Managers.

With a median pay of nearly $100,000 and an estimated 40,400 positions to be added over the next 8 years, construction management is a great position for women interested in construction to consider.

Learn more about Capitol Tech’s degree programs in Construction, Facilities, and Safety. Bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees are offered. Capitol Tech also offers any courses are available both on campus and online. For more information, contact admissions@captechu.edu.

Categories: Construction and Facilities, Construction Management

Reimagining Dining Experiences and Restaurant Design

amschubert — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 20:36:38 +0000

Reimagining Dining Experiences and Restaurant Design amschubert September 9, 2021

COVID-19 has had a massive impact on the restaurant industry. For a large portion of 2020, many restaurants had to temporarily close or turn to offering take out only to maintain some business. Even now as restaurants in most states are open at capacity, the Delta variant has led to people once again being unwilling to eat out.

The National Restaurant Association, in a letter to Congress, share the results of a consumer survey and their concerns for the future of the industry.

In a press release, the association shared that, “6 in 10 adults changed their restaurant use due to the rise in the delta variant.” The survey also showed that nearly 20% of adults have stopped dining out at restaurants entirely.

What is the solution to encouraging people to return to restaurants? Gary Johnson, in an article for Buildings.com, proposes that restaurant designers will need to re-think their approach to be able to accommodate the social distancing that many patrons have come to expect.

Johnson emphasizes that flexibility will be one of the most important hallmarks of a successful restaurant. There is a need for restaurants to be able to modify the seating plan to accommodate extra space, when social distancing is needed, and additional seating when it’s not, to maximize income.

He also states that designers need to stop viewing social distancing as an inconvenience and start viewing it in a different light.

“Right now, we are distanced for health reasons, but if we re-think the problem where space is rebranded as ‘luxury,’ then the dining experience itself is redefined and transformed,” says Johnson. “Social distancing becomes a positive which may alter how we view our dining experiences in the future.”

Decorative elements can help achieve this, says Johnson. He suggests turning to decorative glass screens, high-backed booths, and other design elements to create separation between tables instead of plexiglass dividers or other makeshift solutions.

A change to cleaning processes is also part of the solution. Customers now have a higher expectation for sanitation in shared places. Johnson says this means more frequent deep cleaning and use of disinfectants and integration of better air filtration systems for new builds.

Johnson also suggests looking to the past for future modifications. He offers up the ideas of bringing back cloches, dish covers often seen in old movies.

“Keeping with tradition of the early parts of the last century, having the server present a dome tableside [sic] and then removing it with a flourish was a great spectacle and a symbol of dining elegance,” says Johnson.

There are more modern approaches Johnson offers, including borrowing from the popular bento box lunchbox trend and serving restaurant meals in containers with lids.

Regardless of the design solutions implemented, Johnson is optimistic that the restaurant industry will return to the level of success they once enjoyed.

“One day soon we will be able to enjoy dining out again and being in the company of others and the laughter will return,” Johnson concludes. “But let’s also learn from this crisis and modify with positive approaches the way we design, build, and how we serve guests for a prosperous and healthy future.”

Learn more about Capitol Tech’s degree programs in Construction, Facilities, and Safety, including courses on best practices for design of a variety of facilities. Many courses are available both on campus and online. For more information, contact admissions@captechu.edu.

Categories: Construction and Facilities