While releasing his budget for fiscal year 2024, President Joe Biden announced that, under his leadership, the economy has added more than 12 million jobs, including 800,000 in manufacturing. But recent jobs data shows that a roughly equal number of positions remain vacant, following the latest hirings and losses. According to the latest figures from […]

Annual predictions surrounding housing starts and remodeling activity always include a mix of good and bad news. Perhaps remodeling activity was strong, but housing starts were stagnant. Often, economists would point to the future, even a year or two out, and have some end in sight—a sign of hope. This year, when Kermit Baker, chief […]

What will the other side of COVID-19 look like and how will we know when we get there? This is one of the questions keynote speaker Chris Kuehl of Armada Corporate Intelligence attempted to tackle today when he addressed members of the Fenestration Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA). “The big question is whether the stimulus will […]

This time last year, economists at the 81st Annual Dodge Construction Outlook Conference didn’t expect a recession to occur within the next 12 months. Then the COVID-19 pandemic changed the global economic landscape. At the Dodge Construction Outlook 2021 Virtual Conference, Dodge Data & Analytics chief economist Richard Branch provided a look at where each […]

Many door and window companies have been impacted by the ongoing labor shortage as skilled workers become increasingly difficult to find. John Manzella, global business and economic analysis expert, gave insight into how companies can attract and keep skilled workers in a webinar titled “U.S. Labor Shortage and Retention,” hosted by the American Architectural Manufacturers […]

Despite a national labor shortage, the latest report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics displays notable growth in construction employment and a steady number of jobs in the manufacturing industries. Officials from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) say both attracting and retaining workforce is the top concern of its members, yet manufacturers remain […]

As a skilled labor shortage continues to plague most housing-related industries, several organizations have made it their priorities in 2018 to help end the dilemma. In the past few months, WorkingNation, the Associated General Contractors (AGC) and The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) all have stepped in with initiatives to help close labor gaps […]

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has released information revealing that only 9 percent of the construction workforce is made up of women. This is even though women make up a total of 47 percent of the working population. Female construction employment rose to around 970 thousand in 2017, but is still lower than […]

AGC Report Highlights Severity of the Labor Shortage The labor shortage is impacting the fenestration industry nationally, but the problem isn’t unique to these industries. Eighty percent of firms in the U.S. are having trouble finding craft workers, according to new data from the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America and Autodesk, showing the severity […]

As the labor shortage continues to hinder hiring for many window and door, and glass and glazing companies across the U.S., employers are looking at ways to increase interest and knowledge of skilled trades in schools. WorkingNation, a national non-profit campaign, has released a mini-documentary called “Building a Strong Foundation: SkillsUSA Prepares the American Workforce.” […]