TheJobWalk E.92

From semiconductors to solar cells, this week's construction news spanned the map.

Amkor pushed its Arizona packaging campus investment to roughly $12 billion, Suniva raised $835 million to more than quadruple its solar cell capacity, and U.S. Smokeless Tobacco broke ground on a $250 million Kentucky expansion set to double its local workforce. Amtrak began major construction on a new $1 billion Sunnyside Yard maintenance facility tied to its incoming Airo trainsets, and Procore closed its $845 million acquisition of DroneDeploy, bringing drone and robotics-based visual intelligence into its platform. Let's dive in!

(Read online for a better experience, button up top 👆)

The Lowe's Foundation has launched the Building Futures Skilled Trades Coalition, calling it the largest cross-sector skilled trades alliance in U.S. history. The effort aims to train and develop one million people for trades careers by 2035, with more than 75 founding members from education, business, and workforce organizations.

Corporate backers include NVIDIA, AT&T, Bank of America, Carrier, General Motors, DEWALT, and Duke Energy, alongside groups like the National Association of Home Builders and NCCER. The coalition builds on the foundation's Gable Grants program, which already supports 73 community colleges and nonprofits across 30 states.

The launch responds to a widening labor gap. The Department of Education estimates 2.1 million skilled trades positions could sit unfilled by 2030, a shortfall that may cost the economy up to $1 trillion a year.

Coalition leaders say their focus spans three areas: reshaping public perception of trades work, scaling effective training programs, and measuring outcomes across industries from construction to energy.

Lowe's chairman and CEO Marvin Ellison said the coalition unites partners behind a shared national push to strengthen the trades workforce.

TheJobWalk’s got eyes on this too...

📰 Flex Buys Data Center Power Firm EPC Power for $4.4 Billion(EPC)

📰 SLB to Acquire Kelvion, Expanding its Role Across Data Center Infrastructure(SLB)

📰 FAA Awards $481 Million in Airport Infrastructure Grants Across 36 States(DOT)

📰 Voltaris Power Acquires Electronic Power Design(businesswire)

📰 Solaris Energy Infrastructure Acquires Omega(Solaris)

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts opened another all-new construction ECHO Suites^® Extended Stay, highlighting rapid nationwide growth since the brand's 2024 launch. This key milestone builds on a wave of recent debuts in Springfield, Missouri; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Round Rock, Texas.

Wherever you’re traveling for work, you’ll find all the comforts of home at ECHO Suites. Our thoughtfully designed, dog-friendly suites offer everyday essentials like:

Check out all 22 ECHO Suites properties here.

And don’t forget! TheJobWalk subscribers save up to 15% on our Standard Rate and even more for extended stays!*

*Offer terms and conditions apply.

Book your discounted rate

Hyundai Steel marked the launch of its $5.8 billion Louisiana steel mill with a ceremony in Ascension Parish, drawing roughly 250 attendees including Governor Jeff Landry and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung.

The facility, operated by joint venture HYUNDAI-POSCO Louisiana Steel, will be the first Electric Arc Furnace based integrated steel mill in North America.

Commercial production is targeted for 2029, with annual capacity reaching 2.7 million metric tons of automotive-grade steel. The project is expected to generate 5,400 jobs, including 1,300 direct positions.

The plant pairs Direct Reduction Process technology with EAF steelmaking, a combination projected to cut carbon emissions roughly 70 percent compared to traditional blast furnace methods.

This investment extends Hyundai Motor Group's broader $26 billion U.S. commitment through 2028, deepening its manufacturing footprint beyond vehicle assembly into upstream steel production.

To build local talent, HPLS is partnering with LSU, River Parishes Community College and area high schools on workforce training programs ahead of production startup.

Whether you’re a contractor hiring top talent or a construction professional seeking your next opportunity, Lewis Michael Consultants has you covered.

Coast to coast. Field to Executive level.

We Construct Your Talent.

Reach out here

Amkor Technology has expanded its Arizona advanced packaging and test campus with a phase 2 announcement, growing total investment to roughly $12 billion. The addition will bring 60,000 square meters of new cleanroom space, pushing the site past 93,000 square meters combined with phase 1. Amkor cited strong customer demand exceeding original phase 1 capacity. Construction is set to begin in late 2027, with completion targeted for the end of 2029.

Suniva has completed an $835 million capital raise to fund a second U.S. solar cell manufacturing facility in Laurens County, South Carolina, expanding total capacity to 5.5 gigawatts. The 4.5 gigawatt plant, backed by financing from Goldman Sachs Alternatives, I Squared Capital and other investors, is expected online in late 2027 with full ramp in 2028. The roughly $600 million project is projected to create 564 advanced manufacturing jobs, building on Suniva's existing 1 gigawatt Norcross, Georgia facility.

U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company has broken ground on a new manufacturing facility in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, creating more than 200 new jobs and roughly doubling the company's Kentucky workforce. The $250 million project will expand the Altria subsidiary's existing Weyman's Way campus with modern equipment and manufacturing capabilities. Gov. Andy Beshear joined local officials at the groundbreaking, calling it a boost for Christian County's regional economy.

Amtrak has broken ground on a new maintenance facility at Sunnyside Yard in Long Island City, New York, part of a combined investment exceeding $1 billion. Opening in phases through 2030, the facility will support inspections, service and cleaning for Amtrak's new Airo trainsets, replacing passenger cars in service for more than 50 years. The project is the fifth of six major maintenance facilities advancing under Amtrak's fleet modernization program, primarily funded through FRA-administered grants.

Procore has completed its acquisition of DroneDeploy, folding jobsite reality capture into its construction management software. The deal combines DroneDeploy's drone, robot, and camera imaging with Procore's existing project tools.

DroneDeploy captures three-dimensional imagery of active job sites, turning physical conditions into data that can be analyzed and acted on. This extends Procore beyond documentation into direct site monitoring, using cameras and robots to observe conditions continuously rather than relying on manual walkthroughs.

The acquisition ties into Procore's AI-driven "digital coworker" tools, which compare imagery against a project's BIM model and schedule to flag discrepancies automatically. Rather than waiting for a scheduled inspection, the combined system is built to surface issues in real time.

Procore frames the move as a response to labor shortages, aiming to reduce manual inspection work for stretched field teams.

The deal reflects a broader industry shift toward treating jobsite visibility as a built-in platform feature rather than a standalone tool.

Saudi Arabia continues developing Trojena, a year-round mountain destination within NEOM in the country's northwest. Located in the Jabal Al-Lawz mountain range, the surrounding region spans roughly 1,400 square kilometers and reaches elevations up to 2,600 meters above sea level.

When Bechtel was appointed project management consultant in 2022, the firm said approximately 57 square kilometers would be dedicated to Trojena's main development, built around hospitality, residential construction, outdoor recreation, and mountain tourism.

One of the project's largest construction packages went to Webuild, covering three dams intended to feed a freshwater lake along with an architectural structure known as The Bow. NEOM has since terminated that contract for convenience, effective March 29, 2026.

Webuild reported the work was roughly 30 percent complete at termination, with about €2.8 billion in remaining project backlog still outstanding.

Trojena had originally been selected to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games, but that plan has changed. Almaty, Kazakhstan signed the official Host City Contract in February 2026 and is now preparing to stage the Games instead.