Industry News: New Skyline CEO Crafts Pros in Demand, CA Schools of Architecture Rank High

California Buildings • Q2 2022

Skyline Construction recently named Jessica Carps Chief Executive Office of the San Francisco-based firm. She was the first female leader to hold the COO title and to join Skyline’s Board of Directors. Carps has been recognized for driving company growth through a focus on people and operational excellence.

An industry veteran with a background in management consulting, manufacturing, and accounting, Carps brings a unique perspective to a changing industry. As one of the first female leaders with a track record of championing women and diversity, and of oversight for the company’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) program, Jessica promises to ensure Skyline remains a people-driven organization. With only 3.25% of ENR’s Top 400 Contractors being female-led, Carps is paving the way for the future of the industry. During her seven-year tenure, which included three years as CFO,

Skyline grew from $175M to $700M+ in revenue. “I am grateful for the opportunity to lead Skyline through our next phase of growth and look forward to working closely with the team to continue our history of success,” said Carps.. “Skyline is a special organization, and I believe our performance is due in large part to our commitment to people, operational excellence, and innovation. As we expand across North America, I expect that combination will make us one of the most respected and sought-after commercial interior construction companies in the industry.” Under her leadership, Skyline has already grown from a local general contracSkyline Superintendent Erik Russell with CEO Jessica Carps. tor to a national firm with nine offices, while working with Fortune 500 companies across multiple geographies. Carps succeeds David Hayes who has served as CEO and Chairman of the Board since 2005.

The University

Berkeley and the University

were ranked 8th and 18th respectively in the twelfth edition of QS World University Rankings by Subject, an independent comparative analysis of the performance of 230 Architecture schools across 47 countries.

The pre-eminent Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) takes first-place while Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands leapfrogs University College London (UCL) to take second.

In total, 38 Architecture departments around the world have improved their rank this year, while 125 have remained unchanged and 49 have declined. The world’s most improved Architecture school is China’s Tianjin University, which jumps 13 positions to place 37th globally.

The U.S. was said to be the world’s best country to study architecture for the number of top-100 programs, followed by the UK in second and Australia in third.

California Buildings • Q2 2022 Industry News

Skilled craft professionals continue to earn high wages, according to NCCER’s 2022 Construction Craft Salary Survey. More than 135 commercial, industrial and residential construction companies across the U.S., representing over 337,000 employees, participated in the survey. The individual craft areas reported provide average annual salaries, not including overtime, per diem, bonuses or other incentives.

Of the 41 construction positions surveyed, average annual salaries ranged from $49,920 to $98,965. Project supervisors and project managers topped the list, earning over $90,200 and $98,900 respectively. Professions earning more than $65,000 include HVAC technician, commercial electrician, instrumentation fitter, boilermaker, industrial maintenance mechanic, pipefitter, rigger, millwright, industrial electrician, pipe welder, surveyor, construction site safety technician, electronic systems technician, mobile crane operator, plumber, combo welder, tower crane operator, instrumentation technician and power line worker.

Additionally, eight more craft areas made more than $60,000 per year. The most significant pay increase was power line worker, up 25% from previous years, with plumber a close second at a 23% increase. Since many craft professionals receive additional pay incentives, their take-home pay is typically much greater than the incomes reflected. This survey is one of many resources NCCER and its Build Your Future initiative offer to promote construction careers and help build a pipeline of qualified craft professionals. Complete results are available at nccer.org/ research. The organizations that take part in NCCER’s survey do so voluntarily, and all specific company information remains confidential. Only positions which received enough responses to calculate a valid average are included.

NCCER is an education foundation created by the construction industry to develop standardized curriculum and assessments with portable credentials and certifications for skilled craft professionals.

According to the Yardi Matrix Report on multifamily trends in 2021, “Between March 2020 and December 2021, asking rents in Matrix’s top 30 metros rose by $194, or 13.5%. By metro, however, the differences are stark. Asking rents have increased by 20% or more in nine of the top 30 and 10% or more in 19 of the top 30. Meanwhile, only four metros, largely coastal centers — San Jose, San Francisco and New York, as well as Midland, Texas — have current asking rents below pre-pandemic levels. Sheltering in place and working from home have loosened the link between home and work and limited the cultural advantages of large cities.

“That led to a migration from high-cost gateway centers in the spring of 2020. Where households are going can be seen by rent growth data. The top choices are the South and Southwest. Between March 2020 and December 2021, asking rents grew by 31.1% in Phoenix, 28.5% in Tampa, 28.2% in Las Vegas, 22.9% in Atlanta, 21.4% in Orlando, 20.7% in Raleigh-Durham and 20.6% in Charlotte.”

CBRE reported that last year broke all records with investments in the fourth quarter of 2021 of almost $150 million, a whopping 73% year-over-year quarterly hike. Analysts there reportedly expect the ongoing economic recovery, job creation, wage growth, and household formation to support continued strong demand.

California Buildings • Q2 2022

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California Buildings • Q2 2022 PRODUCT FOCUS

Every project has its own unique challenges, and keeping tools and equipment organized is just one of the many important aspects of a well-managed job site. National Construction Rentals offers mobile storage containers in many sizes, so additional room is never an issue. Whether it’s 10, 20 or 40 feet in length, every unit offers the maximum in usable space.

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U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm traveled to Southern California to showcase how President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will increase access to clean energy sources and deliver an equitable transition to benefit all pockets of the nation.

Secretary Granholm was joined by U.S. Representative Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) in Palm Springs, the Salton Sea and Imperial Valley for a series of listening sessions with local community members and leaders where they heard first-hand from frontline communities grappling with public health impacts of climate change and historic disinvestment.

At the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, the Secretary was joined by U.S. Representative Mike Levin (CA-49) where she provided an update on the Administration’s ongoing efforts to responsibly manage the nation’s spent nuclear fuel.

Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh later joined Secretary Granholm in Los Angeles to tour a workforce training site and clean tech incubator of innovative startups that is helping to accelerate an inclusive clean energy economy. Secretary Granholm closed out her visit, on Earth Day, with a visit to Santa Monica where she observed the city’s enviable sustainability and energy efficiency measures, including the living building that houses the new City Hall East (shown above).

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