The construction industry has an economic impact of $17 billion in Alabama, and when ABC of Alabama’s membership gets together, many topics are discussed, but one is always at the top of the list—workforce development.
Our industry is always looking for ways to increase the number of Alabamians participating in the construction labor market.
The Associated Builders and Contractors of Alabama (ABC of Alabama) has had a long-standing commitment to increasing candidate recruitment, removing barriers to entry, and providing training to the next generation of Alabama construction workers.
It was music to our ears when Governor Ivey and the Alabama Legislature reorganized the Department of Labor into the Alabama Department of Workforce.
Our state leaders took a bold step and created a unified workforce ecosystem—a central hub where education, industry, and government can collaborate to drive economic growth for decades to come.
The Department of Workforce is led by former Senate Pro Tem Greg Reed, who has long been a champion of workforce development initiatives in the Alabama Legislature and a true friend to the construction industry.
At the ABC of Alabama, we look forward to partnering with Governor Ivey, Secretary Reed, and other state leaders to make a real impact. Our state economy has high-paying jobs that we need to train and recruit Alabamians to fill.
When the business community and policymakers work together, we can have a holistic approach to strengthen the workforce. We can ensure that those entering or reentering the labor market have the necessary training and certifications to fill available jobs.
I recently coordinated a tour of our Academy of Craft training for Secretary Reed.
After touring our Academy of Craft Training, Secretary Reed reinforced his department’s commitment to partnership, saying, “This is exactly the kind of collaboration Workforce Alabama was built to support—industry and education working together to create pathways for Alabamians. When we connect people to opportunities like this, everyone wins.”
The Academy of Craft Training (ACT) is a workforce development initiative that allows high school students to learn valuable trades directly from industry professionals. We want to enable these students to secure their futures in construction with hands-on experience at an early age.
As industry leaders, we are doing everything possible to recruit, train, and retain our workforce, and it is encouraging that our state leaders are putting skin in the game.
Informing and educating the public on the career opportunities available to them is a critical piece of improving our workforce participation rate and filling the jobs that will allow our state economy to thrive like never before.
We are excited to see the great things that Secretary Reed and his team will accomplish, and we look forward to partnering with them to deliver real results for the people of Alabama and the state’s construction industry. When Construction wins, Alabama wins.
Tim Harrison is the President of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Alabama and founder of Harrison Construction.
