NECA This Week

NTW 8/31: SBA's New Rule, NECA26 Breaking Records & More

Aug 31, 2026

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Industry News

ZipRecruiter Study May Explain Persistent Labor Shortages

A recent study by ZipRecruiter, “Unclogging the Pipeline: Why Aren’t More Workers Flocking to Lucrative Trade Jobs?”, surveyed 1,500 trade workers nationwide. What it found may explain one cause of the persistent labor shortages in construction, manufacturing, transportation and other skilled trades.

SpaceX plans $100B spaceport in Louisiana

The project is expected to create 3,000 direct jobs over the next 10 years, with an average annual salary of $92,600. LED also estimated that the project will establish over 8,100 indirect jobs. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2027 with the goal to launch the first Starship in 2029.

NECA News

Overhaul and Expansion of SBA for Electrical Contractors

The Small Business Administration is rethinking how it defines a small business, and electrical contractors are in the middle of it. The agency's August 20 proposal would trade the current revenue threshold for an employee count, opening small business status to contractors with under 550 employees regardless of annual receipts. NECA's Labor Relations and Government Affairs team lays out what the change means for federal contracting access and SBA resources, plus how to weigh in before the comment deadline.

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NECA 2026 Las Vegas is Already Breaking Records

NECA's Annual Convention & Trade Show is five weeks away, and registration numbers are already the highest they've ever been. That's real FOMO if you're not in Las Vegas October 4-7, celebrating our 125th anniversary alongside the rest of the industry. Your business will thank you for it: in just four days, you'll learn from 80+ education sessions, find solutions from 400+ exhibitors and connect with 8,000+ attendees!

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AI Series Wraps Up with The Effort Equation

NECA's seven-part AI adoption series closes strong with The Effort Equation: How Involved Should You Be?, on Thursday, September 10 at 3 p.m. ET. This closing session gives leaders a realistic look at what AI adoption actually takes, helping them decide what to own, what to delegate, and how to pace implementation. Participants will leave with clarity on where to stay hands-on, how to plan resources for pilots, training, and scaling, and how to evaluate partners while managing internal capacity. Register for this session or register for the full series (access recordings of earlier sessions) to gain a complete roadmap for implementing AI in your business.

Get Ahead of Labor's Toughest Challenges in Phoenix

Labor relations in the electrical industry keep getting more complicated, from hyperscale's impact on local markets to non-standard IBEW agreements to the daily work of managing grievances and negotiations. The 2026 Labor Relations Conference, November 2-4 in Phoenix, gives you three days to get ahead of it. Sessions cover the CIR, labor law and history, grievances, negotiations, direct-hire recruiting, and how to build strong relationships from the start so problems never reach the negotiating table. Walk away ready to navigate an increasingly complex web of relationships and lead with confidence.

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