Senate Resolution No. 2959

BY: Senator BOYLE

MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
October 2017, as Careers in Construction Month in
the State of New York

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to honor the
construction craft professionals and the critical role they play in the
development of the State of New York; these talented and hard-working
men and women are an asset beyond remuneration and cannot be
sufficiently extolled; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 2017, as
Careers in Construction Month in the State of New York, in conjunction
with the observance of National Careers in Construction Month; and

WHEREAS, Careers in Construction Month has been established to raise
public awareness and appreciation of construction craft professionals
and the entire construction workforce; and

WHEREAS, During the month of October 2017, employers, associations
and schools are encouraged to conduct job fairs, panel discussions, and
local community events to inform students of the vast employment
opportunities in construction; and

WHEREAS, The construction sector stands out as an industry where
smaller businesses provide a large share of total payrolls; construction
firms with fewer than 500 employees employed more than 283,000 workers
with total payroll of $17.2 billion; and

WHEREAS, Smaller companies represented more than 85% of total
construction employment and total construction payroll in New York
State; and

WHEREAS, The Merit Apprenticeship Alliance is a consortium of nearly
70 statewide quality-driven, open shop building and highway contractors
who promote careers in construction through New York State registered
apprenticeship programs; and

WHEREAS, The Alliance is a proud supporter of The National Center of
Construction, Education, and Research (NCCER), a nonprofit education
foundation created in 1996; it was developed with the support of more
than 125 construction CEOs and academic leaders who united to
revolutionize the construction industry; and

WHEREAS, This vital organization's Build Your Future Campaign,
established in 1997, strives to narrow the skills gap by guiding
America's youth and displaced workers into opportunities which lead to
long-term rewarding careers in construction; and

WHEREAS, The goal of Build Your Future Campaign is to recruit the
next generation of craft professionals by making career and technical
education a priority in secondary schools, shifting negative public

perceptions about careers in construction and providing a path from
ambition, to job training, to job placement as a craft professional; and

WHEREAS, The construction industry is one of our nation's largest
industries, employing more than five million individuals in the United
States; by the year 2018 it is estimated that the construction industry
will need two million new craft professionals; and

WHEREAS, The construction industry hopes that Careers in
Construction Month will help raise awareness to support the goals of the
Build Your Future Campaign, and recruit and retain skilled construction
workers to fulfill the need for the industry's future workforce
requirements; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 2017, as
Careers in Construction Month in the State of New York; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York.