The Labor Department introduced new tools to help U.S. companies assess supply chain risks, identify labor abuses abroad and comply with laws banning forced labor imports.
The Lowe’s Foundation will invest $250 million to train 250,000 trades workers by 2035, expanding efforts to address a nationwide skilled labor shortage.
The Labor Department is seeking a national contractor to expand AI training in apprenticeship programs, aiming to modernize workforce development and meet growing industry demand.
Grants to 15 nonprofits expand pre-apprenticeships, credentials and employer connections as demand grows for construction and skilled trades workers nationwide.
The Lowe’s Foundation is investing $10 million in nonprofits nationwide to expand hands-on training, credentials and career pathways for workers entering high-demand skilled trades.
Proposed rule would reinstate a streamlined economic reality test, with construction groups praising the shift and officials opening a 60-day public comment period.
The proposed rule would restore a streamlined economic reality test, with officials and industry groups citing clarity and flexibility for employers and independent workers.
The construction industry will need to attract hundreds of thousands of new workers—349,000 in 2026 and 456,000 in 2027—largely to offset retirements and meet renewed spending growth, or risk worsening labor shortages that could drive up costs and slow critical infrastructure projects.
The construction industry will need to attract hundreds of thousands of new workers largely to offset retirements and meet renewed spending growth, or risk worsening labor shortages that could drive up costs and slow critical infrastructure projects.
Construction employment slipped in December as contractors tempered growth expectations for 2026, even as wages rose and many firms still plan to hire amid ongoing labor shortages.
Construction employment declined by 11,000 in December and the unemployment rate among workers with recent construction experience jumped to 5.0 percent, AGC said, even as many firms still plan to add headcount in 2026 if they can find qualified workers amid persistent labor shortages.