Alabama’s construction industry booming; jobs and training available
Alabama’s construction industry has thousands of job openings, and now free training to operate bulldozers and skid steers is available through the Skills for Success program of the Alabama Community College System (ACCS). A unique feature of Skills for Success training is how quickly it can be completed. Part of the training is offered online, with interactive learning that is self-paced. Upon completing the online portion of the course, students then complete 16 hours of hands-on training with qualified instructors at any of the 24 community and technical colleges around the state. The training is developed by the ACCS Innovation Center in partnership with Alabama businesses and industries. “The number one challenge for most businesses right now is finding and retaining a skilled workforce,” said Chris Stricklin, Chief Technology Officer for Dunn Companies. “Skills for Success training, developed through partnership with industry partners, is the most innovative in the nation. We are working together for a better tomorrow for our individuals, companies, industries, communities, our state, and our nation. Together this will revolutionize our social dialogue and develop career routes with progression pathways.” The Alabama Community College System started the Skills for Success rapid training program earlier this year. Since its launch, more than 1,500 Alabamians have registered for training for in-demand jobs in industries such as construction, food and beverage, and trucking. The training is offered at no cost. “Alabama is facing a critical shortage of skilled workers. By delivering rapid training, Skills for Success quickly provides the trained workforce employers need to fill in-demand jobs,” said Keith Phillips, Vice Chancellor of Workforce and Economic Development for the Alabama Community College System. “Our community colleges have partnered with Alabama’s businesses and industries to develop these courses, so they provide job-specific training that leads to employment right away.” Participants who complete training also earn an ACCS Credential, which signals to businesses that the individual has mastered the skills taught in the program and is immediately ready for employment. The ACCS Credential can also be used as a foundation for additional classes and training at Alabama community colleges. To learn more about Skills for Success and to register for training, visit the ACCS Innovation Center’s website: innovation.accs.edu. Skills for Success is the Alabama Community College System’s rapid workforce training program launched earlier this year. It was developed in partnership with the state’s businesses and industries, so the training is aligned with the skills employers say workers need to fill available jobs. Skills for Success training is offered at no cost to participants. The Innovation Center is a division of the Alabama Community College System that brings together the state’s community colleges, business and industry, and community partners to deliver Skills for Success training. Earlier this month, Governor Kay Ivey announced that Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted October unemployment rate is 2.7%. That is up slightly from September’s rate of 2.6% but below October 2021’s rate of 3.1%.
BCA, Alabama Technology Network announce Manufacturer of the Year awards
The Business Council of Alabama and the Alabama Technology Network announced the 2018 Manufacturer of the Year (MOTY) winners on Wednesday. The winners were announced during an awards luncheon ceremony at the Alabama Activity Center in Montgomery, Ala. Awards were broken down into large, medium, and small manufacturer categories. This years winner are: Large Manufacturer of the Year (400 or more employees): ADTRAN Inc., Huntsville Medium Manufacturer of the Year (100 to 399 employees): Birmingham Fastener & Supply Inc., Birmingham Small Manufacturer of the Year (1 to 99 employees): Ecovery LLC, Loxley Governor Kay Ivey was the keynote speaker for the ceremony. “From automobiles to aerospace to everyday products and equipment, whether for our own use or for export around the globe, Alabama’s manufacturers create high-quality jobs and produce substantial economic benefits,” Ivey said. “Our manufacturers are very important to us and we are committed to helping them succeed and thrive.” Each year, the MOTY awards recognize manufacturing enterprises in Alabama who exhibit excellence in leadership, performance, profitability, and workforce relations. An independent panel of judges select the winners based on their performance in several categories including: customer focus, operating excellence, employee commitment, profitable growth, continuous improvement, and investment in training and retraining. BCA Chairman Perry Hand, chairman of Volkert Inc. recognized MOTY finalists for 2018. “The annual Manufacturer of the Year Awards seek to honor Alabama manufacturers – from the largest industrial employers to the smallest businesses – for displaying efficiency, safety, and excellence in their products and the process for making them,” said William J. Canary, president and CEO of the BCA. “Quite simply, manufacturing is an economic engine powering the state’s economy.” ATN Executive Director Keith Phillips said; “The companies acknowledged today represent the best in Alabama manufacturing and the use of technology. Now in its 19th year, the Alabama Technology Network and the Business Council of Alabama are honored to salute Alabama’s best manufacturers for their valuable participation in not only the state’s economy but also the economies of their employees and the suppliers who do business with them.” More about the 2018 Manufacturers of the Year ADTRAN Inc.: Since its creation in 1985, ADTRAN Inc. in Huntsville, Ala. has been a worldwide leader in the information and communications technology industry. After AT&Ts divestiture of the Regional Bell Operating Companies, ADTRAN founder Mark C. Smith saw an opportunity to supply network equipment to the new Regional Bell businesses and thousands of independent telephone companies. From an initial seven employees to a workforce of almost 2,200 today, including 1,500 in Huntsville, ADTRAN serves more than 2,400 customers in 68 countries. The publicly traded company has shown consistent revenue growth, devises ways to cut costs, supports employee education and career development, encourages and supports community involvement, and supports more than 200 organizations. ADTRAN is a two-time winner, having won a MOTY award in 2010. Birmingham Fastener & Supply Inc.: Birmingham Fastener & Supply Inc. has successfully built a manufacturing company by valuing customers and people, providing quality products with customer service, and emphasizing development of its people. Founded by the late Howard P. Tinney in 1980, Birmingham Fastener & Supply is the South’s largest and most diversified fastener supplier. It makes and distributes fasteners for structural steel fabrication, metal building manufacturers, transportation, water works and utilities, original equipment manufacturers, agricultural equipment manufacturers, construction and maintenance, and repair and operations industries. Birmingham Fastener & Supply provides two scholarships a year through Wallace State Community College, education assistance to employees, and partners with Workshops Inc. that focuses on training people with disabilities. Ecovery LLC: Ecovery LLC in Loxley was formed in 2008 by Larry Sloan and Walter Norris originally to recycle and process electronic waste such as computers, televisions, and cell phones. In 2013, the company shifted to processing primarily copper and aluminum radiators from commercial and residential HVAC units. Ecovery LLC separates, shreds, and re-packages the pure raw material to fit customer needs. Ecovery also melts aluminum flakes from the shredding operation and mixes it with other scrap to produce recycled secondary ingots. Ecovery has two plants that employed 66 men and women in 2017.
