The unemployment rate in construction dropped half a percentage point to 4% from September to October, improving greatly from October 2020's rate of 6.8%. The latest number from the Bureau of Labor Statistics was also the lowest rate since the 3.2% reported for September 2019.

Warehouse operators that want to adopt robotics systems powered by artificial intelligence should evaluate their autonomy, ability to handle variability and learning speed, writes Tianhao Zhang of Covariant. "Much like an associate, the robot brain should learn from its successes and failures and continue to improve," Zhang writes.

Industrial safety planning for operators requires thinking about worst-case scenarios and looking for red flags, such as imprecise alarms, outdated safety measures and a lack of regular testing, write Matt Thiel and Dan Idzikowski of ACS. "The most effective safety measures are fused so seamlessly into the system that workers benefit from them without ever thinking about them," they write.

Dodge Data & Analytics is forecasting a 6% increase in construction starts next year, even as concerns about labor availability and supply chain issues persist. The infrastructure bill recently approved by Congress could drive growth in nonresidential projects, Dodge's chief economist said.

Construction lags many other male-dominated industries in terms of bringing in more women. Toward that end the Construction Business Owner's Outstanding Women in Construction has recognized nine women who have made a difference in the industry with their exceptional expertise, leadership and management.

Growing investment in career and technical education programs -- from philanthropic donations and public funds -- is expanding job training and other opportunities for students. Such programs can help support "stronger engagement and persistence and success in school" for students, says Jade Grieve, who manages CTE programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies.

While the passing of the infrastructure bill will in many ways help small businesses, it will shorten the availability of the Employee Retention Credit, which was created in response to the pandemic as a way for employers to keep workers on payrolls. The credit was slated to run through Dec. 31, but the new bill only grants the credit for wages paid through Sept. 30.

Researchers have found that using fly ash derived from wood and sunflower biomass increases the strength of concrete while helping the environment. "The use of waste ash has a positive effect on the natural environment by reducing the demand for natural resources," researchers wrote.

Approximately 150 high school students and adult learners visited AWFS® member company DBS (Drawer Box Specialties) in Orange, Calif., for MFG Day. DBS led tours for the students through its manufacturing facility, where they saw drawer box and cabinet component construction. Read more.

For the Alhambra Unified School District (California) competition, students built a toolbox in two hours using hand tools, hand-held power tools and machines. SWM (Society of Wood Manufacturing) donated $500 to the event, which covered the cost of material for the project. Read more.