Name  
Heather Baines

Job Title  
President       

Company Name  
HR Constructions Services LLC

AGC of California

Black Americans have contributed to the foundation and framework of how we live, work, and play, but often, those stories go unreported and unnoticed. Black History Month presents an opportunity to elevate the voices and stories of Black Americans who have shaped the construction industry and celebrate their impact.

Jon Marcus, Washington Post

CBCTC

For the first time since October 2019, the Cleveland Building Trades Tradeswomen Committee hosted their Apprenticeship Fair. 

The semi-annual event was paused in 2020 and the first part of 2021 for COVID-19 safety precautions.

After a year and a half pause, the apprenticeship fair resumed with an in-person event in mid-October at the Plumbers Local 55 Union Hall. The event drew more than 230 students and adults.

Josh White, Construction Executive

The construction industry is a major contributor to the U.S. economy, employing more than 7 million people and creating nearly $1.3 trillion worth of structures annually. An impressive portion of these employees have a military background—in fact, roughly 15.5% of all U.S. veterans will enter the construction industry at some point in their careers, according to PlanGrid’s Construction Productivity blog.

Joe Bousquin, Construction Dive

Construction has a long way to go to move the needle on diversity and inclusion in its ranks. While the industry’s numbers, compared to the nation’s overall workforce, skew heavily white and male, companies are making efforts to change that. 

Jim Mackinnon, Akron Beacon Journal

Brook Karnosh's career move involves shifting from working on one of the world's largest warships to woodworking as a carpenter. After four years of active Navy duty and traveling the world, she returned to Ohio, went into the reserves and got jobs in the private sector, including at Welty Building Co. As she looked for direction in her life, Karnosh found she likes carpentry. 

The Mason Contractors Association (MCA) recently awarded BAC Local 5 family member, Nicole Pishnery its 2021 MCA Scholarship. Nicole graduated magna cum laude from Baldwin Wallace with a Bachelors of Arts degree in 2014.

Jeff Yoders, ENR Midwest

Union apprenticeship programs in the construction industry produce salary and social outcomes for workers equivalent to the jobs and social situations of those with four-year college degrees, a new union-backed study of 10 years of federal statistics concludes.