National Housing Endowment

06/02/2026

(MI) NKBA West Michigan Chapter participated in our first ever booth at MiCareerQuest. This annual event is held at Devos Place in downtown Grand Rapids and allows over 8,000 middle and high school students from across West Michigan to explore career opportunities in construction, health care, technology, manufacturing, and hospitality.

Our booth allowed students to get a taste of tile cutting and installation using the score & snap tool, go board, and spacers. The planning side of construction was also featured with various material samples available such as flooring, cabinetry, wallpaper, hardware, glass, and more for students to create moodboards. This highlighted the many facets which have to be carefully planned and specified for a residential construction project. Playing in the booth were videos and photos featuring the Kitchen and Bath International Show, a remodel project from start to finish, and cabinetry design software.

NKBA volunteers interacted with students to discuss their job, experience in the industry, the path they took to get there, and the many trades and professionals they collaborate with day-to-day during the course of a project. Personal connections were made with hundreds of students and exposure to thousands.

We're already looking forward to a bigger booth next year!

05/28/2026

https://hftforschools.org/newsroom/americans-overwhelmingly-support-expanding-high-school-skilled-trades-classes-but-access-is-severely-limited/?mc_cid=4a0c97fcfa&mc_eid=8c6b8352f0

05/18/2026

(CA) Marin Builders Association Scholarship and Workforce Training Fund hosted forty students for an Open House and last class for their North Bay Construction Corps Marin Class. These students are ready to build homes!

05/18/2026

Good luck Mikala!

A Michigan community college student will be the first female welder to represent the United States at a worldwide competition described as the Olympics of the skilled trades.

05/14/2026

Karima Simmons had an amazing time in Louisiana last week representing the National Housing Endowment at the 2026 Southern University Construction Leadership & Workforce Summit. The event welcomed all sectors of the construction industry and the Residential force was strong. Shout out to Karen Profita, MHSA, Randy Noel, MIRM, CGB, CMP, Robert Carroll, Steve Nellis, and Jeremy Hurley for their support of residential construction management and trades education.
And special thanks hosts, Simonne Whitmore and Thalamus Marshall. NHE is super excited to work alongside you both as your program takes off. Thanks for taking part, Karima!

05/08/2026

(MI) The HBA of Jackson brought in seventeen local trades professionals to the Lenawee Intermediate School District TECH Center to connect with more than 200 high school juniors and seniors and talk about careers in the skilled trades.

Students had the opportunity to ask questions, explore different career paths, and hear directly from professionals working in the industry every day. Builders, plumbers, carpenters, electricians, union representatives, and other industry leaders were all on hand to help students better understand the opportunities available right here in Lenawee County.

The feedback from both students and participants was overwhelmingly positive and reinforced the importance of continuing to build strong connections between local employers and the next generation workforce.

Nice work HBA of Jackson, Michigan!

05/07/2026

Check out this short video of the Topeka Career Connections event last month. Big thanks to the Topeka Area Building Association for the hard work in organizing the event and to the creativity of our friends at Structure Productions.

05/04/2026

(WI) The La Crosse Area Builders Association held our 4th Annual Build My Future. We are excited to say that we had more students attend this year than in the past with over 1300. The students were able to try a variety of trades and help with a few community projects as well. The picture of the ladies painting is an example of a little library built and painted for our local Family and Children's Center. These libraries will be placed in 8 different places around our area. This again filled our cups as it is continues to be a great day for all involved.

05/01/2026

(CO) The HBA of Western Colorado joined Careers in Construction leaders in D51 Workforce Development Day at Colorado Mesa University as the Construction & Skilled Trades industry presenter. The event brought together high school students from across the district to explore post-graduation career pathways. While we were not involved in planning the overall program, we delivered six 25-minute breakout rotations focused specifically on careers in construction and the skilled trades.

During our sessions, over 1000 students were introduced to career pathways including carpentry, electrical, plumbing, project management, and design. We emphasized apprenticeship opportunities, earn-while-you-learn training models, regional workforce demand, and long-term wage growth potential. The rotating breakout format allowed us to engage directly with multiple groups of students, answer questions, and provide practical insight into entering the construction industry.

Our participation strengthened awareness of high-demand construction careers and contributed to workforce pipeline development by exposing students to viable, local, career-ready opportunities immediately following high school.

05/01/2026

(KY) Brought to you by the BIA of Northern Kentucky, The Construction Career Connection (CCC) hosted by Enzweiler Building Institute (EBI) is a hands-on career exploration event for 300 middle and high school students focused on the skilled trades. Students rotate through interactive stations where they can try real tasks in areas like carpentry, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, masonry, and heavy equipment operation. Unlike a traditional career fair, the event emphasizes direct participation and engagement with tools, materials, and industry professionals. Local contractors and trade representatives are on-site to demonstrate skills, answer questions, and connect with students. The goal is to expose students to high-demand career paths and show viable alternatives to traditional four-year college routes. CCC also helps students understand earning potential, training requirements, and apprenticeship opportunities. The event serves as a key workforce pipeline initiative, connecting education with real industry needs. Overall, it gives students a practical, first-hand look at careers in construction and the skilled trades.