News from PCCA
PCCA, WIA Receive Department of Labor Grant to Boost Workforce Programs
A major topic of discussion during the Construction Industry Roundtable at PCCA's 2020 Convention was the DOL grant that was announced the week before the 
WIA President & CEO Jonathan Adelstein (left) and PCCA President & CEO Tim Wagner discuss PCCA's "Who Will Do the Work?" program, which develops utility construction programs at community colleges and technical schools around the country.convention. The grant is part of the agency's grant program, Apprenticeship: Closing the Skills Gap, which is designed to support large-scale expansions of apprenticeship. PCCA partnered with the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) on the grant, which will provide the necessary funding to design curricula and deliver training to develop qualified applicants for placement in middle- to high-skilled jobs nationwide. The nearly $6 million grant is supplemented by more than $9 million in matching support from industry, including cash and in-kind contributions from WIA, PCCA, Ditch Witch, FS3, and participating employers, for a total commitment to apprenticeship of $15 million in a public-private partnership.
RUS 773 Increase a Big Win for PCCA Contractors
RUS 773 Increase a Big Win for PCCA Contractors
During the Construction Industry Roundtable at PCCA's 2020 Convention in the Bahamas, Eben Wyman discussed language in the construction procedures for the Rural Utilities Service's new ReConnect Program for rural broadband that permits the use of RUS Form 773 on "small-scale" projects. RUS defines "small-scale" as $1 million or less, whereas the previous limit on the use of Form 773 was $250,000. When PCCA expanded its government affairs efforts in 2015, a top goal was raising the 773 limit so that RUS could realize the full benefit of its resources and more efficiently construct broadband infrastructure in rural America. PCCA will continue working to ensure that the ReConnect Program contract policy will become permanent RUS policy.
PCCA 2020 Convention Presentations
Presentations from the PCCA 2020 Convention at the Baha Mar, Nassau, Bahamas (February 28 - March 4, 2020) are available to members in the Members Only area of the website under Education. (Login required.)
Available to everyone is Corning Field Engineer (retired) Gerry Harvey's presentation: Quality OSP Fiber Optic Cable Install.
WIA Awarded $6 Million DOL Grant to Train 5G Workforce
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) announced that the U.S. Department of Labor awarded it a $6 million grant to expand apprenticeship in the telecommunications industry. The grant program, Apprenticeship: Closing the Skills Gap, is designed to support large-scale expansions of apprenticeship. In partnership with the Power & Communication Contractors Association (PCCA), the grant will be used to train a 5G workforce, an integral part of winning the global race to 5G. Five institutions of higher education have already committed as technical partner schools. The nearly $6 million grant is supplemented by over $9 million in matching support from industry, including cash and in-kind contributions from WIA, PCCA, Ditch Witch, FS3, and participating employers, for a total commitment to apprenticeship of $15 million in a public-private partnership.
PCCA Journal - 2020 Q1 - Available Online
The latest edition of the PCCA Journal is in the mail but you can avoid the wait by reading it online.
Read about the new Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, check our Broadband and Electrric Outlook and more...
Take it with you.
The PCCA Journal is portable and optimized for reading on your phone or tablet.
Missouri State Tech Looking to Build, Renovate
The utility and civil infrastructure programs at Missouri State Technical College will see renovations to existing building as well as a new Utility Technology Center thanks to a recent vote by the school's Board of Regents. The program at State Technical College is one of the projects supported by the PCCA Education & Research Foundation.
Details on the decision are available here.
PCCA Journal - 2019 Q4 - Available Online
The latest edition of the PCCA Journal is in the mail but you can avoid the wait by reading it online.
Browse PCCA's Year-End product Showcase, preview the 2020 Convention and read about our work supporting the Fiber Broadband Association. And more...
Take it with you.
The PCCA Journal is portable and optimized for reading on your phone or tablet.
PCCA Signs onto Letter Opposing Trucking Mandates
On September 16, a coalition of 31 associations, including PCCA, sent a letter to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Senate and House transportation committees opposing four costly and burdensome proposals that are being floated for inclusion the next highway bill.
Hurricane Dorian Spares Baha Mar
While our prayers certainly go out to all those affected by Hurricane Dorian, we are happy to report that Baha Mar, home to the 2020 PCCA Convention, was not directly impacted by the storm. The resort and the nearby Lynden Pindling International Airport are both fully operational, and the PCCA Convention will go on as planned.
The PCCA Convention runs from February 28 until March 4.
In Memoriam: Dave Moore
In Memoriam: Dave Moore
PCCA is sad to report the passing of Dave Moore, a dear friend and valued colleague to many in the association and throughout the industry. Dave, who worked for years at Dura-Line and Arnco, served on the PCCA Board of Directors and as chair of the Associate Member Council.
Dave was one of the genuinely nicest guys that you'll ever know, and he was a great asset to PCCA during some of the association's rocky times," PCCA Executive Vice President Tim Wagner said. "He will be dearly missed."
Tracking Various State Labor & Employment Laws
At the recent PCCA Mid-Year Meeting, labor attorney Greg Guidry, Ogletree Deakins, updated the membership on the multitude of laws, rules, and regulations--federal, state, and local--that employers must be aware of. The challenge of tracking these myriad laws is especially difficult for employers who work in multiple states. To help them track the relevant laws in states where they work, Ogletree Deakins provides several helpful maps that show where different types of laws apply.
2019 Mid-Year Presentations
Presentations from the 2019 Mid-Year Meeting are now available online below and in the Education area of the site:
- 2019-20 Economic Overview - Mark Bridgers, Continuum Capital
- Recent Developments in Labor & Employment Law - Greg Guidry, Ogeltree Deakins
- RUS Update - Ken Kuchno, USDA
- PCCA-WIA Collaboration - Jonathan Adelstein, WIA
- PCCA Government Relations Roundtable - Eben Wyman, Wyman Associates
- Fiber Deployment, 5G and What's Next - Lisa R. Youngers, Fiber Broadband Association
Page 10 of 12