New York, New York – BuildingNYC (BNYC), the group of contractors and workers promoting a merit-based construction industry in NYC, is announcing a path breaking partnership with Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), a national trade association representing nearly 21,000 merit shop contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers and related firms across the United States. (http://buildingnyc.org/; http://www.abcnys.org/).

ABC is a recognized leader in skills training and apprenticeships for workers in the construction trades employed by merit based contractors and sub-contractors. ABC delivers programs that equip craft professionals with the knowledge and skills they need to improve their productivity and safety and advance their careers. ABC also offers the kind of apprenticeship programs that meet federal and state requirements for registered apprenticeship and prevailing wage work, including employer sponsored classroom instruction and on-the-job learning. Craft professionals who successfully complete a program are recognized at the journeyperson level and awarded a license.

The purpose of the collaboration is to enable the workers that are part of the BNYC company membership base to raise their skill levels so that they can not only have a safer work environment, but can also advance in their chosen profession and establish the foundation for a lifelong, well paying job and career.

“With the collaboration between BNYC and ABC the thousands of mostly minority workers that we represent will be able to get the skills training that will put them on par with any worker in the construction industry. This program is a direct rebuttal to those who believe that quality training can only be found in the existing guild system.”

– Brad Gerstman, BuildingNYC spokesperson.

“We are proud to be collaborating with BuildingNYC to provide the highest level of education and safety training. Construction is by its very nature a dangerous industry, and Building NYC has shown their commitment to the necessary training to ensure that the first priority of every one of their employees is that they make it home safely to see their families at the end of each shift. This partnership demonstrates a tremendous investment into their workforce that will offer their workers professional development they can carry with them throughout their careers. It will also make them better in their respective fields, and marketable in an industry notorious for a high demand in skilled workforce. The fact that Building NYC has made this investment says a lot about how much they understand that it’s their workforce that is going to help them succeed.”

– Brian Sampson, Associated Builders and Contractors, Empire Chapter President.

The training partnership between BuildingNYC and Associated Builders and Contractors is another positive step towards insuring that the established and growing merit based workforce – which is the wave of the future in NYC – is the best trained and safest in the city.

BuildingNYC (BNYC) is a regional construction industry trade association that represents those doing the majority of the building in NYC today, especially affordable housing. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, BNYC is comprised of workers and companies across all sectors of the NYC construction industry. We seek to protect and advocate for the right to work in a safe, fair and equitable environment that promotes continued growth and success within the New York City regional construction industry.

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national construction industry trade association representing nearly 21,000 chapter members. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC and its 70 chapters help members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically, profitably and for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work. ABC’s membership represents all specialties within the U.S. construction industry and is comprised primarily of firms that perform work in the industrial and commercial sectors. For more information please contact Brian Noonan at Noonan@abcnys.org, (315) 404-5015.

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