Students at the new CTTA in downtown Tacoma demonstrated how to build a set of stairs then mingled with leaders from the Building Industry Association of Washington, Washington Home Builders Foundation, local government and non-profits in Pierce County.

Join us for National Ladder Safety Month / Marzo es el mes nacional de la seguridad en el uso de escaleras portátiles

Don’t skip a step when it comes to ladder safety. Just because you feel comfortable using a ladder does not mean you can’t fall and get seriously hurt or killed.

As we celebrate Women in Construction Week, it’s a time to reflect on the incredible strides women have made in the construction industry—and the trail they continue to blaze for future generations. From job sites to boardrooms, women are reshaping the landscape of construction, demonstrating resilience, leadership, and expertise in every role they take on.

Co-founder Kabri Lehrman-Schmid (she/her), superintendent with Hensel Phelps, shares how Build With Pride Seattle is creating a vibrant and inclusive community for architecture, engineering and construction professionals to thrive.

The US Department of Labor recently released a comprehensive safety data set collected by OSHA, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, detailing more than 890,000 workplace injuries and illnesses across the United States. As part of the Construction Center of Excellence’s ongoing Toolbox Talks project, we take a closer look at Washington State data to learn more about the trends and the details in this new injury data, all in an effort to improve future safety training. 

On December 5^th, as part of a panel for USDOL’s Women’s Bureau, I will be addressing an issue that not only threatens workplace safety but also undermines the integrity of our industry: Gender-Based Violence and Harassment (GBVH). GBVH is pervasive in many industries, but in construction, the stakes are particularly high. Rates of GBVH are disproportionately high and, even more troubling, incidents often go unreported due to fear of retaliation or stigma.

Child care is critical for the success of professionals in the construction trades, but too often workers aren’t able to find care during the hours they need, affecting everything from career trajectories to job satisfaction to family life at home, leading to questions about a continued willingness to stay in the trades.

We sat down with Laura Soma, CCE Advisory Board member since 2013, to learn about her career, sustainability in construction and her insight into the industry. Laura is the Sustainability Manager at GLY Construction, holds a LEED AP, BD + C, and was elected CCE Co-chair at the most recent Advisory Board meeting.

The Washington State Construction Center of Excellence (CCE) and Renton Technical College (RTC) are pleased to announce the release of a Request for Quotation and Qualifications (RFQQ) #2025-CCE-001. We are seeking proposals from qualified firms to develop a Data and Equity Benchmarking Navigation Guide aimed at guiding curriculum development for a statewide construction management credential.

ANEW is a Financial Aid Office for the WA Grant for Apprenticeship (WG-A). Financial Aid may be available to assist active apprentices in WSAC-approved apprenticeship programs with costs associated with their apprenticeship.

The U.S Department of Labor Office of Federal Contractor Compliance Programs (OFCCP) Mega Construction Project (Megaproject) Program fosters equal opportunity in the construction trades workforce of federal contractors and subcontractors on large federal construction projects.

Registered apprenticeship programs across the state have an opportunity to receive their share of $3.3 million in grant funding. The money provides services for pre-apprentices and program participants. The application period opens Oct. 1, 2023 through Sept. 30, 2024. Awards are based on a first-come, first-served basis.

Jonathan Andersen, CSP, CHST, CIT writes a guest column for the CCE concerning financial stress and its impact on mental health in the construction industry for suicide prevention awareness month. Resources and additional links included in article.

As we wind up a busy construction season - with more infrastructure projects on the horizon - the CCE team has been thinking about what it means to be part of the industry, the legacy of the work, and the future of the workforce.

ANR specializes in providing access and information to those interested in agriculture and natural resources.

GLY is a commercial contractor that has been building in the PNW for over 50 years

Pierce County Roofers - Rachel Geyer

LETI Vocational School is an L&I approved injured worker retraining institution. La Escuela Vocacional LETI es una institución aprobada por L&I para proveer reentrenamiento de trabajadores lesionados.

In the construction industry, when you think about building a legacy, what do you think of? The Director of the Washington State Construction Center of Excellence reflects on International Workers Day about building legacy in the industry she grew up admiring.

It is an honor to write you at the beginning of the Spring season – a season of growth and change - as the Director of the Washington State Construction Center of Excellence. We’ve set our sights high through the remainder of the 2023 fiscal year and already have our plan set for 2024: