Building Industry Magazine - June 2013 - (Page 24)

INSIDE ABC HAWAII A Model for Trade Education BY DAVID PUTNAM (l-r): ABC Hawaii last fall conducted a Plumbing Level 4 & 5 hands-on training class and a Carpentry Level 1 & 2 hands-on training class. I n only five years, the Hawaii chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has come to mean three things: apprenticeship training program, membership association and networking. Since 2009, when ABC Hawaii opened its doors to represent the state’s merit shop contractors, its apprenticeship program has been sending out qualified, and much-indemand, workers in all the construction trades. Largely because of the success of the training it offers, ABC Hawaii’s membership has more than doubled, and it now has 168 members. “Our training is designed to help the student be the best you can Jonathan Young be,” says Jonathan Young, president of ABC Hawaii. Along with training in carpentry, plumbing, electricity, roofing, painting and photovoltaic installation, ABC also provides classes in Construction Quality Management (CQM) and first aid certification in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and AED (automated external defibrillator). Hands-on training is done in ABC Hawaii’s lab rooms at its facility at the corner of Waiakamilo Road and Dillingham Boulevard, and some classes are held at Honolulu Community College. “We’re the model now,” says Young, adding that ABC also represents 68.2 percent of “licensed journeyworkers” in Hawaii. He says key reasons for ABC’s growth are the support from its members and the high-quality work its members have become known for. “The way I put it is: Be strong. If you do good work, you continue to get work,” Young says, adding, “that’s what merit shop is.” ABC Hawaii, which had 79 members that first year, recently received its third consecutive Mullan Award from the ABC national office for membership growth. The national ABC office says the organization now has 72 chapters with 22,000 member companies and more than 2 million individual members. 24 | BUILDING INDUSTRY | JUNE 2013 Brighter Days Ahead The construction industry in Hawaii, like everywhere else, is concerned about the fallout from sequestration, which is the process that automatically cuts the federal budget across most departments and agencies—and that generally means fewer contracts and jobs. “With sequestration and the loss of Sen. Dan Inouye, we see our federal projects drying up,” Young says. “Anything in the pipeline is already going through; it’s what’s outside the pipeline that we’re worried will not show up. “There is no private work going on right now except for the possibility, because of interest rates, of the new developments in high rises.” He smiles and adds, “We’re going to have the state bird—tower cranes—up again, which is nice to see. And, of course, they’re going to block my view.” On the topic of politics, Young says the legislature has been receptive and understanding to the needs of Hawaii’s building industry. “We

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Building Industry Magazine - June 2013

RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION
INSIDE ABC HAWAII
‘GUAMANIAN DREAM’
NEWS BEAT Alakai Pacific opens Guam office
CRW replaces Harbor Court roof
Hawthorne Cat debuts new trucks
NAVFAC awards Safety Star
NAIOP Symposium
Bonterra Solar installs PV at Crown Thurston
HPS gives schools solar power
PBTE offers ‘early bird’ rates
ohnson named Guam executive of year
DEPARTMENTS Editor’s Corner
Concept To Completion: St. Francis Intergenerational Center
Spotlight On Success: Wheeler UEPH Barracks
Contracts Awarded and Low Bids
BIA Renaissance awards
GCA awards
Newsmakers
New Products
Best Practices
HLPA Guide
Sweepsteaks” winner

Building Industry Magazine - June 2013