flexiblefullpage
Currently Reading

Builders Encourage Youth to Consider Trades

Advertisement
billboard
NAHB

Builders Encourage Youth to Consider Trades

NAHB Housing Policy Briefing | Getting the next generation interested in construction


By National Association of Home Builders February 27, 2019
Encouraging young people to consider trade careers by getting them onto jobsites
This article first appeared in the March 2019 issue of Pro Builder.

As the industry enters its busiest season, the ongoing skilled labor shortage continues to make it difficult for builders to meet demand, and fuels affordability concerns.

More than 80 percent of builders and remodelers in a recent National Association of Home Builders survey reported labor shortages in all 15 skilled trade occupations. There are currently about 280,000 unfilled construction trade positions. The NAHB is addressing the labor shortage in several ways. 

The Skilled Labor Fund provides scholarships to attend accredited training schools. Through education, students may develop lifelong, marketable skills while contributing to the broader community. NAHB created the fund in 2017 in concert with its philanthropic arm, the National Housing Endowment, and the National Kitchen & Bath Association, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, and SGC Horizon, the parent company of Professional Builder magazine.

The Home Builders Institute (HBI), NAHB’s educational arm, is one of the nation’s key providers of construction skills training. HBI training programs are taught to youth and adult populations, veterans, ex-offenders, and displaced workers. With an 80 percent job placement rate, HBI programs consistently benefit graduates and their communities while providing the industry with a steady flow of skilled workers. Last year, HBI received a $50 million grant from The Home Depot Foundation to train 20,000 new skilled workers over the next 10 years. (Read the interview with HBI president and CEO Ed Brady for more insights.)

Home builder associations across the country are working to buoy interest in residential construction through a robust student chapters program that engages students locally and provides them with industry exposure. NAHB and its affiliated associations are working with local and state governments and public school systems to spur more skills-training programs. 

And the National Housing Endowment awards nearly $200,000 annually to develop and expand construction management programs. These programs at two- and four-year colleges and universities train future generations of industry leaders. 

Reflecting growing demand for construction skills training, Congress is also considering ways to increase accessibility. 

NAHB_0319_chart 1.pngNAHB_0319_chart 2 and 3.png

NAHB_0319_chart 4.png

 

The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index shows that builder confidence grew 2 points in January. In November, new-home sales increased 17 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 657,000. In the second week of February, the effective rate for 30-year fixed mortgages dropped 6 basis points month over month. Remodeling spending rose 12.2 percent in November.


The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing, and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. For more, visit nahb.org.

Advertisement
leaderboard2
Written By

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing, and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. For more, visit nahb.orgFacebook.com/NAHBhomeTwitter.com/NAHBhome

Related Stories

Trade Contractors

Contractors Report Increased Confidence in Q3 2023

Contractor confidence is increasing amid an uptick in new building projects stemming from steady demand paired with rising home equity wealth

Labor + Trade Relations

Why Strive to Be a Builder of Choice?

Having Builder of Choice status encompasses much more than just a builder's reputation with trades and suppliers

Education + Training

Oatey Women’s Resource Network Teaches Plumbing Skills to Girls

Oatey Co. recently sponsored a plumbing day at the weeklong 'Let’s Build' Construction Camp for Girls

Advertisement
boombox2

Top Articles

Advertisement
boombox1
Advertisement
native1
halfpage2

More in Category

COVID-19 may be easing its grip on the U.S. after a disastrous two years, but lingering supply chain disruptions have builders holding onto their pandemic business tactics

An archive of NHQA-winning companies that represent home building's best in Total Quality Management

Don’t let the current hype about single-family B2R communities obscure the need to create long-term sustainability and asset value

Advertisement
native2
Advertisement
halfpage1

Create an account

By creating an account, you agree to Pro Builder's terms of service and privacy policy.


Daily Feed Newsletter

Get Pro Builder in your inbox

Each day, Pro Builder's editors assemble the latest breaking industry news, hottest trends, and most relevant research, delivered to your inbox.

Save the stories you care about

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet lorem ipsum dolor sit amet lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.

The bookmark icon allows you to save any story to your account to read it later
Tap it once to save, and tap it again to unsave

It looks like you’re using an ad-blocker!

Pro Builder is an advertisting supported site and we noticed you have ad-blocking enabled in your browser. There are two ways you can keep reading:

Disable your ad-blocker
Disable now
Subscribe to Pro Builder
Subscribe
Already a member? Sign in
Become a Member

Subscribe to Pro Builder for unlimited access

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.