Midyear discussions center on workforce, funding
standing room only on Tuesday.
The NAPA 2024 Midyear Meeting in Brooklyn continued Tuesday with general sessions aiming to enhance intergenerational recruitment of workers and sharing the latest road construction budget statistics.
Solutions 21 CEO & Founder Buddy Hobart shared his insights from 15 years of research on leadership across generations during the first general session. Hobart discussed the aspects of the asphalt pavement industry which he considered “winning cards” in workforce development.
He said Millennials and Generation Z workers are looking for careers where there is an opportunity for advancement, as well as a connection to sustainability. He noted that asphalt’s spot as the most recycled product in the country could be seen as a recruitment tool.
During Tuesday’s second general session, American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) Senior Economist Josh Hurwitz discussed the year-to-year changes in federal funding in the road construction space.
Hurwitz said recent increases represent the most growth in infrastructure funding since the founding of the Federal Highway Program, although he added that state budget capacity was beginning to level off after those increases.
Following the day’s activities, NAPA members headed to Yankee Stadium for a Subway Series game between the New York Mets and the New York Yankees. The Mets won 3-2.
