Frederick Mason III, ABC

In what may be an indication of increased interest in construction as a career, as well as a small improvement in the Rhode Island construction market, the Rhode Island Construction Training Academy (RICTA) enrolled 240 students for the start of its 2016-17 year. Classes with the highest increases were in sheet metal and carpentry.

Established in 1992, ABC’s RICTA has grown from providing classroom-related, state approved apprenticeship training for a couple of trades to nine construction trades including electrical, pipefitting, HVAC, fire suppression, carpentry, roofing, masonry, craft laborer and sheet metal.  Classes run from September through May of each year, and depending upon the particular trade, programs can run from two to five years. The RICTA training facility is located at 249 Roosevelt Ave., in Pawtucket. For more information visit www.ricta.org.

A big step forward in workforce development

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a key piece of workforce development legislation by a margin of 405-5 earlier in September. The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21^st Century Act, co-sponsored by Rhode Island Congressman James Langevin, provides state and local communities with support to educate and train students.

The bill is particularly important for industries like construction, which is experiencing a national labor shortage projected to reach 1.1 million skilled workers over the next decade.

By taking important steps to better align workforce development programs with industry demand, this bill will help local students and business owners alike. And it comes just as ABC of Rhode Island is getting ready to celebrate Careers in Construction Month in October.

ABC congratulates Rep. Langevin for the overwhelming, bipartisan support the bill received and for celebrating the great career opportunities our industry has to offer.

ABC files suit against DOL’s overtime rule

ABC and a coalition of business groups filed suit against the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division’s costly and burdensome final overtime rule. The legal challenge was filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

The new rule, released in May, drastically alters DOL’s minimum salary requirements (increasing the minimum by 100%) and will impose overtime payment requirements on employers of more than 4.2 million employees who are currently classified as executive, administrative, professional and computer professionals who have historically been considered exempt from overtime.

Frederick Mason III is the president of ABC Rhode Island.