James Rudolph, ABC-Mass. chairman

With ABC and our school, the Gould Construction Institute (GCI), gearing up for the annual Safety & Education Night coming up on May 19, it’s a good time to highlight recognize the benefits and opportunities a construction career can provide, and the critical role GCI plays in developing the industry’s current and future workforce.

Construction is projected to grow more than twice as fast as the average of all industries over the next decade. In fact, five of the 30 occupations expected to see the largest increase in employment between 2012 and 2022 are construction related.

It can also make for a rewarding and lucrative career. Recent data indicates that graduates of schools and colleges committed to technical and career related education earn more and are more employable over the long term than their peers who graduate from other educational institutions, not to mention the absence of significant student debt. Here in Massachusetts, governor Baker recognizes the success of the Commonwealth’s vocational technical schools by setting forth multi-million dollar grants and proposing to expand them.

Of course, none of this matters unless every construction employee goes home safely each night. That’s why ABC and the Gould Construction Institute’s Safety & Education Night is so important. ABC employers understand their employees are their most valuable resource and nothing is more important than their safety. So on March 19, GCI and ABC will recognize outstanding Gould students, graduates, and instructors, and honor those companies with exceptional safety records with Safety, Training, and Evaluation Process Awards.

I urge you to attend and celebrate the success of ABC’s school and the important role it plays in preparing students for a long, rewarding and safe career in the construction industry. Each year it is a sell-out, so members are advised to register now for the annual ABC/Gould Construction Institute Safety and Training Night. 

This year the event is scheduled to begin at 5:00 PM on May 19, at the Montvale Plaza in Stoneham. Prior to the dinner there is an OSHA Update Seminar at 4:00 PM. Visit www.gwgci.org for registration information. 

James Rudolph, Esq. is the managing partner of Rudolph Friedmann LLP, Boston and is the 2016 ABC-Mass. chairman, Woburn, Mass.