What Have We Done for You Lately

Quarter 3, 2024
By: Dave Simpson, Carolinas AGC President & CEO

Moving through the second half of 2024, here is what’s happening:

In SC, we recently became only the third state in the country to pass legislation requiring construction work zone driver’s license training for young drivers (15-16-year-olds).
This one-hour training, which CAGC has developed for the SCDMV and driver training schools across the state, will be required before an initial driver’s license in SC can be obtained.
In NC, we’ve worked with NCDOT and the State Highway Patrol to increase the number of blue light trailers that are available to be deployed in work zones, from 22 to 50, and the state now has a procedure to request their use.
The NC General Assembly approved and sent to the Governor on June 27 our Work Zone Safety legislation that requires the NC Division of Motor Vehicles to develop or identify a “highway work zone” training course that is accessible to the public and requires a person to demonstrate successful completion of the course.
It also requires the DMV to submit a report to the legislature by March 31, 2025. The law takes effect immediately, when signed by the Governor, and does not specify any age requirements. Here is a link to the legislation on pages 16-17.
We’re pursuing legislation to increase fines for speeding in work zones and automated speed-limit enforcement, issues to be addressed in next year’s NC legislative session.

We had 900+ attendees at our ’24 Summer Summit & Expo in August in Myrtle Beach.
We now have 315+ Young Leader Members, a record this year.
Our 100+ networking events are drawing big crowds across NC and SC.
Upcoming bigger events through the Fall include our Clay Shoot, SCPAC Golf Tournament and the Young Leader Conference.
Our first Annual Spring Leadership Retreat in the NC mountains was a big hit and we’re planning for next year’s event as well as working on the popular CAGC HR/Safety Conference in Myrtle Beach.

We recently concluded a high-visibility billboard campaign across NC touting our Construction Bootcamps and Construction Business Academy.
Our Be Pro Be Proud SC truck is expected to receive $500,000 in recuring funding from the SC General Assembly.
Since April, 8 Construction Bootcamps have cranked up and are serving 65+ students.
Our Goldsboro Construction Business Academy recently graduated 21 students and 21 participants are now in our 2^nd Charlotte class at a time when our statewide academy is planned for September along with networking events with graduates and members.
CAGC Construction Bootcamp recently sponsored the Western NC Construction Career Days in Waynesville, NC, which drew 1,000 students with over 75 exhibitors.
Construction Bootcamps are being promoted with the NC Homeschool Association.
CAGC hired, beginning July 8, a Marketing & Digital Manager, Kelly Jasaitis, for the Foundation to help promote our workforce development efforts.
We recently created a virtual booth for the Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina in their initiative called JA Inspire, a statewide virtual career fair. Some 16,000 SC Middle School and High School students read about CAGC, and 1,617 students visited our virtual career.
Our CAGC Foundation successfully completed its reaccreditation audit with NCCER. CAGCF is accredited for 3 additional years to help provide needed education & training.

340+ Students have been served since January 2024.
NC Licensing CE Opportunities: 15 online and two in-person classes offered in conjunction with our Piedmont & Triangle Luncheons.
On-Demand Offerings: 19 and new ones added monthly.

Membership continues to show outstanding growth with 800+ members.
With 76+ New Members YTD, CAGC is positioned to outpace our annual new member goal.
In Q2 we welcomed Wendy White as the CAGC Member Engagement Manager, with a focus on 1-3-year new members. She will highlight the benefits and value of membership for our newest members.
If you know of a non CAGC member, please invite them to a networking event and/or luncheon and notify the membership team.
The CAGC Marketing Department is preparing to launch a new digital marketing effort which will bring even more members to the CAGC Family – expanding networking and business development opportunities.

We expect state lawmakers in both states in the second half of 2024 to approve hundreds of millions of dollars. for new capital projects.
In SC, lawmakers approved $1.2 billion in state funding for roads, bridges, local infrastructure projects, technical college capital improvements, workforce scholarships, state maintenance projects and recurring funding for Be Pro Be Proud:

$200 million for bridges
$200 million for County Transportation Committees
$46.5 million for Local Road Projects
$117.4 million for Rural Road Safety
$1 million for litter cleanup
$115 million for Technical College Capital Improvements
$94 million for SC Workforce Industry Scholarships, for high-demand fields (HVAC, Construction, Welding, CDL’s) at all 16 technical colleges in the state.
$437 million in capital reserve funding.
$500,000 for the SC Be Pro Be Proud Skilled Trades Mobile Workshop

In SC, CAGC is focusing on meetings between CAGC members and new SCDOT Secretary Justin Powell to expedite work performed.

For utility contractors, as reported in the quarterly Utility Division newsletter, CAGC is working with a NC Legislative Task Force on amendments to the NC 811 law to improve and clarify related laws, with plans to introduce those amendments next year.
In SC, legislation was passed to extend and increase the abandoned buildings tax credit from an expiration in 2025 to 2035 and a cap per project from $500,000 to $700,000.
CAGC expects legislation we support to be approved in the NC General Assembly to increase the number of Construction Manager/General Contractor projects that NCDOT can pursue and allow NCDOT to develop a pilot program for Progressive Design-Build on 5 projects.
CAGC is pursuing legislation in North Carolina to increase fines for speeding in work zones and automated speed-limit enforcement, issues to be addressed in next year’s NC legislation session.

CAGC’s Pinnacle Awards Program opened for nominations on July 1. An average of 15 winning projects (including Pinnacle Awards and Construction Excellence Awards) will then be promoted throughout NC and SC media outlets to spotlight outstanding Building, Utility, and Highway/Heavy projects performed by our members within the Carolinas. This awards program elevates the projects and those contractors, specialty contractors and suppliers who worked on them.
27 CAGC member companies will be recognized with Community Impact Awards at our Summer Summit & Expo in August, along with Hall of Fame/Legacy, Safety and Young Leader Awards.
Join a number of other CAGC members who are taking advantage of our new CAGC Association Health Plan and our Youturn Health Member Benefit.

Dave Simpson, CAE, CAGC President & CEO, who has been with the association since April 1989, can be reached at dsimpson@carolinasagc.org.

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