by Jessica Gillette | Nov 15, 2023 | Apprenticeship, News
The ABC-VA Hampton Roads region held its annual craft competitions for the Electrical, HVAC and Plumbing apprenticeship training programs on Saturday, November 11, 2023, at their training facility in Norfolk, VA. This year was the first time holding an in-house plumbing competition in Hampton Roads! ABC-VA stands with immense pride, applauding the unwavering dedication and tireless efforts exhibited by each competitor. Their relentless commitment and hard work paved the way for a competition year that will be remembered for its exceptional standards and remarkable achievements.
Four skilled competitors in Electrical and Plumbing, and three in HVAC showcased their expertise, competing for the chance to represent their craft at the ABC National Craft Championships in Kissimmee, Florida, in March 2024. The apprentices competed in a compilation of an assigned, hands-on project, as well as a written exam.
Top Performers: Congratulations to the outstanding winners:
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- Electrical Competition: đ
Brent Coulter, Tri-Star Electric, Inc.
⢠Electrical Second Place: Anthony Rexach, J.C. Driskill, Inc.
⢠Electrical Third Place: Christian Stewart, REW Corporation
⢠Electrical Fourth Place: Noah Dulaney, Power Electric
- HVAC Competition: đ
Nicholas Rodriguez, ColonialWebb Contractors
⢠HVAC Second Place: Benjamin Stogsdill, CST Mechanical, Inc.
⢠HVAC Third Place: Hunter Corbitt, Thermo-Trol Systems
- Plumbing Competition: đ
Garrett Wallace, Southeastern Mechanical, Inc.
⢠Plumbing Second Place: Tyler Haskett, Southeastern Mechanical, Inc,
⢠Plumbing Third Place: Benjamin Stewart, ColonialWebb Contractors
⢠Plumbing Fourth Place: Trent Mayes, DAVCON, Inc.
Gratitude to Instructors and Judges: The entire competition is made possible by our dedicated instructors and judges. We extend a heartfelt thank you to the following:
- Instructors: [Electrical] Tim Cruise, Bill Johnson; [HVAC] Brian Gesick, Mike Gesick, Tom Gesick; [Plumbing] Bill Carley and Brandon Carley
- Judges: Zach Leitner, REW Corporation; Tim Cruise, Power Electric; Art Shauchuk, HVAC Graduate; Tom Gesick, MTS Refrigeration; Mike Gesick, MTS Refrigeration; Brandon Carley, Southeastern Mechanical, Inc.; Brian Ryder, Southeastern Mechanical, Inc.; Marshal Brown, Southeastern Mechanical, Inc.
Sponsors Make It Happen: A big shout-out to our generous sponsors: Ferguson, MTS Refrigeration, and Southeastern Mechanical, Inc., for contributing the materials that made these competitions possible. Your support fuels the future of craftsmanship!
Here’s to a future shaped by the skilled hands and innovative minds of these remarkable apprentices! Please reach out to Jamie Carrow, Member Services & Education Director, with any questions about our apprenticeship training programs.
by Jessica Gillette | May 3, 2023 | Construction Executive, News
The 2nd annual ABC Joint Tech Summit was held on Thursday, April 27, in Tysons, VA. This event, hosted by the ABC chapters of Chesapeake Shores, Greater Baltimore, Metro Washington and Virginia, brought together over 200 construction professionals to learn and talk about cutting-edge construction technology and safety. Construction Executive featured the event and summarized the full-day experience perfectly:
Read below or view the article on Construction Executive’s website.
At the 2023 ABC Joint Tech Summit in Tysons Corner, Virginia, on April 27, there was talk, of course, of various construction technologies, including AI, VR, autonomous vehicles, impairment detection, digital twins, blockchains and Spot the Robot Dog. All this different tech, however, was discussed for the same two reasons: safety and efficiency.
While some companies are just discovering the vast uses for and benefits of smart technology in construction, other companies are already well into adoption and implementation. Here is a breakdown of some of the contech showcased at the Joint Tech Summit, which was presented by four ABC chapters: Chesapeake Shores, Greater Baltimore, Metro Washington and Virginia.
AUTONOMOUS MACHINESÂ
The talk of the Tech Summit was Spot the Robot Dog from Boston Dynamics. Spot can walk, run, crawl, climb stairs and tortuous terrain, right itself from a fall, return to its charging port when its battery runs low and is compatible with a variety of add-ons, like 360 cameras. Spot is controlled via tablet and can be programmed to run on its own, allowing for increased worker and jobsite safety and productivity.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Even if you arenât using ChatGPT to forge full-length documents, you probably still use artificial intelligence daily. If youâve ever googled anything, you know the search engine will generate the rest of your search and offer suggestions; if youâve ever typed an email, you know it will offer to fill in the rest of your sentence. That is generated by AI.
If you wear a smart watch, you have had your steps, heart rate, temperature, decibel exposure and overall health score monitored by AI. Beyond sending emails and reminding you to stand up every hour, simple, everyday AI such as ChatGPT and wearables are great tools to implement in construction.
For example, text-based AI is a great tool for organizing data: filing reports, ensuring those reports actually get completed and filed and that the data within them is consistent. AI of this nature can also help mitigate risk before it even exists by conducting a risk analysis and producing predictive analytics based on reports collected.
Wearable AI is also a great tool for directly monitoring and mitigating worker safety. In addition to performing a predictive analysis, wearables analyze physical scenarios, which can be anything from high heat exposure to falling to near-accidents. AI knows when a worker was, is and could be at risk and how to intercept, diminish or avoid that risk for optimal worker safety and jobsite efficiency.
VIRTUAL REALITY
There are more uses for virtual reality than playing video gamesâalthough some of them can feel very much like a video game. VR together with AI is being used in parts of the construction industry to run training scenarios. This allows for data to predict problems and generate solutions for trainees to test within a controlled environment. With tools like reality capture from OpenSpace, contractors can also surveil jobsites remotely when a virtual workspace is created from the digital capture of the real workspace, allowing work to be done whenever and from wherever, optimizing productivity and eliminating variable risk factors.
IMPAIRMENT DETECTION
One piece of tech drew more attention and questions than the others at the summit. As cannabis becomes legalized for recreational and medical use in more states, impairment detection was the popular product of the day. The DRUID app, founded by Impairment Science Inc., is a portable cognitive behavioral assessment tool that is run not unlike a concussion test: A worker takes an initial test to produce a baseline measurement of cognitive and motor functions. Then that baseline is measured against future testing. This simple, noninvasive, privacy-protecting product can not only mitigate safety risks by measuring physical impairment, but can also pinpoint potential mental health risks.
Impairment Science COO Chris Bensley also argued that in some states, DRUID might increase productivity and an employee candidate pool by negating the need for cumbersome drug-testing procedures.
Of course, there is even more contech to be talked aboutâand maybe even discoveredâsuch as 3D printing, BIM, NFTs. Some of this technology has been around for years already, yet is only now starting to gain popularity within the industry. While some people fear a tech takeover, losing their jobs to robots and machines and computers, if the construction industry embraces it, technology might actually teach more than it takes. In the end, the technological revolution is not simply about specific technologies and their specifically designed purposes.
âIt is about technology innovation that is happening across the globe,” said Tech Summit speaker Kris Lengieza, vice president of global partnerships and alliances for Procore, “and how we can put some of those things to work for us in our industry.”
Peter Rowland of Smartapp.com demonstrates his company’s smartboard technology..
by Jessica Gillette | Mar 17, 2023 | Apprenticeship, News
ABC Virginia today announced multiple member companies won national awards presented during the 33rd annual Excellence in Construction Awards during ABC Convention 2023 in Orlando, Florida, on March 16. Categories include the Excellence in Construction Awards, National Safety Excellence Awards and IDE (Inclusion, Diversity & Equity) Awards, with some members identifying with other chapters.
Excellence in ConstructionÂŽ (EIC) Awards
The EIC awards are the construction industryâs leading national competition that honors general and specialty contractors for world-class, safe and innovative construction projects from across the country.
Congratulations!
Hensel Phelps, Archer Hotel Tysons CornerâEagle Winner
Hensel Phelps, Marriott International Headquarters Hotel and OfficeâPyramid Winner
Harkins Builders, Inc., Brightview ColumbiaâPyramid Winner, identifying with ABC Metro Washington
David Allen Company, Marriott HQ HotelâEagle Winner, identifying with ABC Metro Washington
Ruppert Landscape, A Washington DC TempleâEagle Winner, identifying with ABC Metro Washington
National Safety Excellence Awards
The National Safety Excellence Award is given to members that have demonstrated remarkable achievements in leadership, safety and innovation. The awards were presented to 49 contractors across the country.
Congratulations!
LEEBCOR ServicesâExcellence Winner
HouriganâPinnacle Winner
Inclusion, Diversity & Equity (IDE) Awards
The National Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Excellence Awards recognize members that display exemplary IDE leadership in their company, workforce, supply chain and community with best-in-class recruitment policies, retention practices and training and mentoring programs.
Congratulations!
Hensel PhelpsâExcellence Winner, identifying with ABC Rocky Mountain
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Excellence in Construction Eagle Award Winner – Archer Hotel Tysons Corner, Hensel Phelps by Jessica Gillette | Mar 7, 2023 | Apprenticeship, News
Dulles, Virginia, March 7âAssociated Builders and Contractors – Virginia (ABC-VA) today announced forty-six (46) member companies were named to Associated Builders and Contractorsâ fifth annual Top Performers publication, which lists its contractor members that build the countryâs most enduring, innovative, high-quality construction projects, ranked by work hours. The ABC-VA Chapter now holds the record for most Top Performers.
To be eligible, ABC-VA Top Performers achieved Gold status or higher in ABCâs STEP Safety Management System, which makes the top-performing contractors more than six times safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average, according to ABCâs Safety Performance Report. The majority of the honorees also must earn ABCâs Accredited Quality Contractor credential, which recognizes commitment to corporate responsibility in quality, safety, talent managementâincluding inclusion, diversity and equityâeducation and community relations.
âThis yearâs ABC Top Performers agree that culture is key,â said Michael Bellaman, president and CEO of ABC. âNot only is a strong corporate culture an essential component of a thriving and vibrant workplace, but it helps retain top talent, create safe and healthy jobsites and build better communities. We honor these top-performing contractors at ABC-VA that are placing the highest importance on investing in their people, health and safety, and innovation.â
Through STEP, AQC and other robust programs, ABC-VAâs Top Performers demonstrate they:
- Sustain and grow their businesses, financially and economically
- Offer market-competitive compensation, benefit and retirement packages
- Commit to world-class safety
- Commit to workforce development, education and creating career opportunities
- Commit to an inclusive and diverse work environment
- Develop opportunities for their employees to achieve their career dreams
- Cultivate committed leadership
ABC-VAâs 2023 Top Performers
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ACECO, LLC
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Allan Myers |
Balfour Beatty |
Branch Builds |
| Brite Electric |
Brothers Mechanical, Inc. |
Coakley & Williams Construction |
ColonialWebb Contractors |
| Comfort Systems of Virginia, Inc. |
DAVIS Construction |
Delaware Elevator, Inc. |
Donohoe Construction Company |
| Etolin Strait Development Group, LLC |
Forrester Construction |
GovSolutions, Inc. |
Heartland Construction, Inc. |
| Helix Electric |
Hensel Phelps |
Hoar Construction, LLC |
Hourigan |
| Howard Shockey & Sons, Inc. |
Hudgins Contracting Corp. |
JRC Mechanical |
Kwest Group, LLC |
| LEEBCOR Services, LLC |
Lithko Contracting LLC |
M.C. Dean, Inc. |
MIG GOV, LLC |
| Miller & Long Co., Inc. |
Power Design, Inc. |
Prospect Waterproofing Co. |
REW Corporation |
| S.W. Funk Industrial Contractors, Inc. |
SAW Contracting, Inc. |
Scott-Long Construction, Inc. |
Shapiro & Duncan, Inc. |
| Skanska Building, Inc. |
Tazewell Contracting |
Tecta America Zero Company |
Telligent Masonry, LLC |
| TST Construction |
TST Roofing |
W.M. Jordan Company |
Warfel Construction Company |
| Watson Electrical Construction |
WCS Construction, LLC |
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The ABC Top Performers lists identify the Top 250 Performers, Top General Contractors, Top Trade Contractors, Top Electrical Contractors, Top Plumbing/HVAC Contractors, Top Specialty Contractors and Top Performers by Market, all of which have earned the elite Accredited Quality Contractor credential. The Top Performers with Special Designations hold one or more special designations. The Top Performers were ranked by the number of hours worked in 2021, as reported in their 2022 STEP applications. The rankings also include lists of top-performing companies in 18 market segments, such as government, health care, infrastructure, military, retail, religious, high tech, airport and sports complexes.
View the 2023 Top Performers lists at abc.org/topperformers.
Associated Builders and Contractors is a national construction industry trade association established in 1950 that represents more than 22,000 members. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC and its 68 chapters help members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work. Visit us at abc.org.  Â
by Jessica Gillette | Feb 13, 2023 | Apprenticeship, News
Sherrie Dickerson, ABC-VA Education Coordinator
ABC-VA is proud to announce Education Coordinator, Sherrie Dickerson, has been honored as a Registered Apprenticeship Ambassador.
The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry celebrated 85 years of Registered Apprenticeship on Thursday, January 26, 2023. Included in the celebration were awards for Outstanding Apprentices, Apprenticeship Ambassadors, Service Awards, and High-Volume Sponsors.
ABC-VAâs own Apprenticeship Director, Sherrie Dickerson, was honored as a Registered Apprenticeship Ambassador. Sherrie was selected because of her passion and energies to help individuals, families, neighborhoods, towns, and the Commonwealth. Since her arrival with ABC-VA in March of 2020, Sherrie has been a pillar of strength and leadership of the programs in Richmond, managing related instruction for over 500 apprentices each year in Central Virginia. In a unique environment, Sherrie arrives before classes begin at 7 am each morning and does not stop until she knows that all of her students and instructors have been taken care of.
In 2022, Sherrie fielded two competitors in ABC Nationalâs Craft Competition with the HVAC competitor bringing home the Silver Medal. In 2023, she will send five competitors to the NCC. Sherrie takes time each day to talk to students and instructors personally about their lives inside and outside of the classroom. She communicates with employers on a regular basis to keep them abreast of what is happening in the classroom to make sure their instruction there is reinforced on the job. She does it all with a smile because she is truly proud of them and wants everyone to succeed.
Several ABC-VA members were also recognized for their apprenticeship accomplishments and service awards. Honorees included were:
M.C. Dean, Inc., celebrating 71 years as a Registered Apprenticeship Sponsor and having the Largest Registered Apprenticeship Program in the Region (Loudoun County). Additionally, Erin May was honored as a Registered Apprenticeship Ambassador
Carter Machinery, celebrating 57 years as a Registered Apprenticeship Sponsor and having the Largest Registered Apprenticeship Program in the Region (Hanover County)
Atlantic Constructors, Inc., celebrating 67 years as a Registered Apprenticeship Sponsor. On hand to receive this award were Terrence Kerner, Heather Tippett, and Bill Cooper
Bay Electric Company, celebrating 54 years as a Registered Apprenticeship Sponsor
BUHL Electric Co., celebrating 51 years as a Registered Apprenticeship Sponsor
We thank Sherrie and these special ABC-VA members for their dedication and commitment to our workforce.
As Commissioner Gary Pan stated, âRegistered Apprenticeship was first established in Virginia with the signing of the Virginia Apprenticeship Act in 1938. It has been a training system that produces highly skilled workers to meet the demands of employers competing in a global economy, through a combination of on-the-job training and related technical instruction. It is a âwin-winâ approach to workforce development for employers and employees, while rebuilding the Virginia Economy. Registered Apprenticeship is an ideal model for employers to develop their current and future workforce by providing on-the-job training and selecting occupation specific Related Technical Instruction.â
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