Promote Careers in Construction

The health of the labor market is key to the outlook for monetary policy, interest rates and housing affordability. In 2024, there will be an upswing in housing production, increasing the demand for construction labor. Skilled construction workers will be needed to reduce the nation's housing deficit during the second part of this decade, a shortfall NAHB estimates to total 1.5 million homes. The estimated required amount of construction worker hiring is approximately 723,000 per year, according to NAHB analysis of BLS data and projections. As many individuals age out of the construction industry, we need the next generation of workers.

The way to solve this crisis is to provide quality training and introduce students at a young age to the possibility of a career in the construction industry. Boosting skills training today will help the industry better serve home buyers and renters now and in the future.

There is a lot we can do together:

• Advocate for training by working with local schools to incorporate a workshop-based curriculum into class offerings. HBI’s Future Builders of America program engages young students in trades education and activities that will encourage them to pursue rewarding careers in construction and help them develop leadership skills critical to the residential building industry.
• Create pre-apprenticeship opportunities for young students so they can gain early exposure and experience
• Provide financial and in-kind support to schools by donating funds, supplies, resources, and mentoring time in construction-related classwork
• Work with home builder associations to create community programs and support
• Learn how you can leverage the way HBI provides no-cost, pre-apprentice training and certification for middle and high school students, transitioning military and veterans, unemployed and displaced workers, low-income and opportunity youth, and justice-involved youth and adults
• Fight against long-held misperceptions about the skilled trades and promote the benefits of careers in construction