Local Home Builder Associations (HBAs) throughout the country have developed industry/education partnership programs that are educationally enriched, challenging and creative. Programs provide middle and high school age students with information about the industry and have an impact on career choices during these critical career decision-making years. These educationally enriched, challenging and creative HBA partnerships also include adult training programs.
PROGRAMS-AT-A-GLANCE – Find a program:
State: California
HBA Name: Building Industry Association of Southern California – Orange County Chapter
Program Name: BITA
Age level: High School
Description:
The Building Industry Association, Orange County Chapter (BIA/OC), the Home Builders Council, the Trade Contractors Council, and the Anaheim Union High School District created BITA in 2001. It is a unique educational endeavor that provides students with instruction and training in trade and professional opportunities in the building industry and fosters the industry as a career choice through a program featuring hands-on experience and applied academics. Students of all academic and economic levels are eligible to enroll in the academy. The four year program is located at two local high schools with approximately 180 to 200 students participating in each program. Upon completion of BITA, students will have developed awareness for different careers, both labor and non-labor, in the building industry and will also be prepared for immediate employment in the home building industry or entry into an apprenticeship program, a community college or a four-year university. The program is compliant with all California technology educational standards and receives financing from the Southern California Education Foundation.
Contact Information
Building Industry Association of Southern California – Orange County Chapter
17744 Skypark Circle, Suite 170
Irvine, CA 92614
Phone: 949-553-9500
Email: ljones@biaoc.com
Website: www.biaoc.com
State: Connecticut
HBA Name: Builders Association of Eastern Connecticut
Program Name: Apprenticeship Program
Age level: High School/Community College/ Technical Colleges
Description:
A primary goal of BAEC is to allow students to gain knowledge of the vast range of careers and experience hands-on activities related to the residential construction industry. Members form collaborations with schools and local community groups to initiate service-based learning projects and internships, and partner with schools on sustainable hands-on construction projects.
As a first the BAEC completes a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with each of the partners outlining their participation in the hands-on construction project. The association is currently developing an apprenticeship program in conjunction with the community college.
Contact Information
Builders Association of Eastern Connecticut
20 Hartford Road, Suite 18
Salem, CT 06420
Phone: 860-859-3518
E-mail: baec@aol.com
Website: www.baec.net
State: Florida
HBA Name: Treasure Coast Builders Association, Inc.
Program Name: Training – Carpentry Framing
Age level: Post Secondary
Description:
Carpentry Framing is an 8-month self-supporting training program. The classroom, instructor, transportation to job sites, financial aid assistance and student enrollment is the responsibility of the Community College. At the beginning of the program, each student is supplied with textbooks and tools by the Builder’s Association. Each class has 10 to 13 students that are recruited by the Builder’s Association. When builders are recruited for the hands-on experience sites the Association is paid what it would cost to hire a framing crew. The pay is used to help support the program as the program is self-sustaining. At the end of each program, each student is placed into a job in the construction industry.
Contact Information
Treasure Coast Builders Association, Inc.
6560 South federal Highway
Port Saint Lucie, FL 34952
Phone: 772-464-8222
E-mail: gail@treasurecoastba.com
Website: www.treasurecoastba.com
State: Indiana
HBA Name: Home Builders Association of Greater Terre Haute
Program Name: Tech Town USA
Age level: Middle School
Description:
Middle level student developers spend 20 days on this standards based activity designed to introduce the construction industry and possible career opportunities. Students research home design concepts with family homework, design a house, draw a floor plan, build a scale model, and develop a realty specification sheet. Floor plans are drawn on graph paper; the models are made from corrugated material and decorated with the students’ creativity. The best student projects from each school are set up in a giant scale subdivision at the Association home show. Each student gets a Tech Town USA shirt to wear and customized business cards to hand out as they work at the large student display. Students explain their design to visitors and include important information like size, price, and taxes.
Contact Information
Home Builders Association of Greater Terre Haute
2747 Sidenbender Road
Terre Haute IN 47802
Phone: 812-234-5736
E-mail: hba@thnet.com
Website: www.hbaterrehaute.com
State: Iowa
HBA Name: Home Builder Association of Iowa City
Program Name: Home Building Association of Iowa City Vocational Council
Age level: High School
Description:
This program enjoys a strong tradition as it has existed in Iowa City for over 30 years. The program has students building a home and selling it on the open market. Students also take courses in interior design and architectural drafting classes to complete the interior design of the home. The home is showcased on our Parade when finished. The program is profitable as many members reduce the cost of their products and services. Scholarships and tools are given annually. Members also give presentations to elementary, high school and junior high school students.
Contact Information
Home Builder Association of Iowa City
11 S Gilbert Street
Iowa City IA 52244
Phone: 319-351-5333
E-mail: hbaofic@cs.com
Website: www.iowacityhomes.com
State: Michigan
HBA Name: Home Builder Association of Bay County
Program Name: Career Awareness
Age level: High School
Description:
We do a number of things including high school career days, participating in the school to work program with having students work in the office, and also supporting and promoting career center building trades program. The building trades program has a booth in our local home show as well as promoting the class home in the Parade of Homes. We are also involved in a scholarship program with a local college. In the younger levels we are also involved. In particular, fifth grade students take part in a contest where they are invited to draw their dream home. Winning drawings are selected and then displayed at the local Home Show.
Contact Information
Home Builder Association of Bay County
2939 Skill Center Drive
Bay City MI 48708
Phone: 989-684-3560
E-mail: baycountyHBA@charterinternet.com
Website: www.baycountyhba.org
State: Minnesota
HBA Name: Northern Minnesota Builders Association
Program Name: NMBA Workforce Development & NMBA Scholarship Fund
Age Level: 8th-12th
Description:
The Northern Minnesota Builders Association established a Workforce Development committee to concentrate on promoting the residential building trades to students in a five county draw within the NMBA territory. A Scholarship Fund was established in 2002 to establish an endowment scholarship fund that grants four (4) $500 scholarships to students/non-traditional students who are enrolled into a post-secondary Minnesota school (technical college, community college or university) for a residential building trade program. This fund was set up and is managed through: www.gracf.org. The NMBA holds an annual golf tournament fundraiser each year to fund the NMBA Scholarship Fund. Through 2009 the NMBA Scholarship Fund has given out 28 scholarships. In 2010 the NMBA Scholarship Fund will give out two (2) $1000 Scholarships each year. The NMBA Workforce Development Committee has partnered with several organizations and educational institutions to be involved with: Careers Fairs, Future Workers, and CEO;s in the Schools. The NMBA also started an ALI Summer Building Institute that allows high school students 16 or older a hands building experience where they can earn .5 high school credits for each 2 week session they participate in. Students build on Habitat for Humanity building sites. To date there has been 45 students that have participated.
Contact Information:
Northern Minnesota Builders Association
Contact Person: Megan Christianson, Executive Director
802A S Pokegama Ave
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
Phone: 218-326-6622
Fax: 218-326-1690
Email: nmba@paulbunyan.net
Website: www.nmbuilders.com
State: Montana
HBA Name: Flathead Builders Association
Program Name: House Build Project
Age level: High School
Description:
The partnership between the HBA, high school and community college enables students to experience the construction process first hand beginning with construction loans and ending with the sale of the home. The Association plays the role of owner and contractor in this project. Instruction is provided by the community college. -The program builds one house per year; proceeds from the sale of the home support the program for the following year.
Students pay a small fee to offset cost of equipment and assists with the instructor’s salary. Approximately 30 students participate annually. Participants are high school and community college students. The high schools enter college in the Running Start program, which offers students an opportunity to earn dual credit towards both a high school and college degree.
Contact Information
Flathead Builders Association
275 Corporate Dr. Ste 550
Kalispell MT 59901
Phone: 406-752-2422
Email: not given
Website: www.buildingflathead.com
State: Montana
Program Name: Career Center House Project
Age Level: High School
Description:
In the mid-1970’s, the Home Builders Association of Billings teamed up with Billings School District Two in order to invest in the building industry’s future. The idea was to give high school students hands-on training building one home per school year in the Billings area. The HBA of Billings takes on the ownership of the lot and home, while the Career Center provides the instructors. Proceeds from the sale of the home helps support the program for the upcoming year. For more than 30 years, this partnership has built over 30 homes and has introduced/expanded many students’ interest in the variety of careers within the building industry.
Contact Information:
Home Builders Association of Billings
PO Box 875
Billings, MT 59103
Phone: 406-252-7533
Email: email@hbabillings.net
Website: www.hbabillings.net
State: Montana
HBA Name: Home Builders Association of Billings
Program Name: College of Technology House Project
Age Level: College
Description:
In 2007, the Home Builders Association of Billings partnered with Montana State University–Billings College of Technology to help future builders take their skills to the next level. This program is designed to offer additional hands-on experience building one home per school year in the Billings area that will propel college students into a home building career. The HBA of Billings takes on the ownership of the lot and home building process, while the COT provides the instructors. Proceeds from the sale of the home helps support the program for the upcoming year. This is just one more way to get students interested in a home building career path.
Contact Information:
Home Builders Association of Billings
PO Box 875
Billings, MT 59103
Phone: 406-252-7533
Email: email@hbabillings.net
Website: www.hbabillings.net
State: Nevada
HBA Name: Builders Association of Western Nevada
Program Name: BAWN Construction Trades Program
Age Level: High School
Description:
The BAWN Construction Trades Program is an Association/Community College partnership that benefits students from five counties. To participate in this program students must be in 11th grade, maintain a 3.0 GPA in program-affiliated classes and complete a summer internship. This program educates students in the basic knowledge areas needed to be successful in the construction industry. The Association has created an endowment to provide tuition assistance for students who wish to pursue industry careers at the Community College.
Contact Information
Builders Association of Western Nevada
PO Box 1947
Carson City NV 89702-1947
Phone: 775-882-4353
E-mail: rdemar@bawn.org
Website: www.bawn.org
State: North Carolina
HBA Name: Home Builder Association of Hickory-Catawba Valley
Program Name: Career Showcase
Age level: High School
Description:
Each year, the Catawba County School System, in conjunction with Catawba County Community College, organizes a 1-day career showcase designed to introduce high school 10th graders to various career choices and opportunities. Our HBA members work together to produce a unified set of exhibits representing Construction Technologies. The exhibits provide an opportunity for sophomores to learn about the challenges and rewards associated with the many trades that comprise Construction Technologies. Our primary goal is to educate and attract young people to our industry, in order to supply our future workforce. The specific goals of our showcase exhibit are to convey:
-
The skills and expertise of trade professionals
-
The (cool) tools and technology used today by skilled professionals
-
The opportunities available to make a rewarding and viable career in Construction Technologies
-
A great opportunity to “be your own boss” down the road if you want to
All exhibits are designed to inform and engage students. The most popular ones are interactive. For example, the Framing & Carpentry exhibit features a nail-driving contest; the Masonry exhibit teaches students how to properly lay bricks; and the Cabinetry exhibit walks students through fine cabinet construction. Another popular, though not interactive, exhibit is Home Automation. It features an integrated TV and sound system, which is increasingly in demand. Additional exhibits include HVAC, plumbing, architecture, landscaping, and advanced energy technology.
Contact Information
Home Builder Association of Hickory-Catawba Valley
3145 Tate Blvd SE
Hickory NC 28602
Phone: 828-322-6482
E-mail: eofficer@hickoryhba.com
Website: http://www.hickoryhba.com
State: Ohio
HBA Name: HBA of Portage and Summit Counties
Program Name: Project Playhouse
Age level: High School, Technical School
Description:
Project Playhouse is a collaborative effort between various local high schools and vocational carpentry programs and the program includes the students’ education in building trades, drafting, and industrial electricity. A local member of the HBA donates the materials needed for the project and then the playhouse is auctioned off through the sale of raffle tickets at the “Akron Home and Flower Show.” All proceeds either go directly to a local non-profit organization that helps run the program or are split between the schools and the non-profit. The program may change directions in the near future with the building of a log cabin home by the high schools at the “Akron Home and Flower Show” rather than the building of playhouses.
Contact Information
HBA of Portage and Summit Counties
799 White Pond Drive
Akron, OH 44320
Phone: 330-869-6800
E-mail: mikem@akronhba.com
Website: www.akronhba.com
State: Virginia
HBA Name: Tidewater Builders Association
Program Name:e: Pre-apprenticeship Program
Age Level: Out-of-school youth & Adults
Description:
The Association’s Pre-apprenticeship Program provides cost effective private sector construction training and employment to neediest citizens in the area. The students receive hands-on construction training (carpentry, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and apartment/building maintenance) by constructing a house. The homes are purchased by the local housing authorities and sold to low to moderate-income families. 100% of all graduates have jobs on graduation day.
Contact Information
Tidewater Builders Association
2117 Smith Avenue
Chesapeake, VA 23320-2515
Phone: 757-420-2566
E-mail: Not given
www.tbaonline.org
State: Wisconsin
HBA Name: La Crosse Area Builders Association
Program Name: Grant Program
Age Level: High School
Description:
To help preserve local high school construction programs and encourage students to consider employment in the industry, the Association established a Grants Program. Funds are raised and used to give needed tools to area schools. This program helps to ease the "burden" of local school programs.
Contact Information
La Crosse Area Builders Association
816 2nd Ave S, PO Box 477
Onalaska WI 54650-0477
Phone: 608-781-5242
E-mail: vicki@labaonline.com
Website: www.labaonline.com
To post your program snapshot contact:
C. Deanna Lewis
Manager for Career Services
Home Builders Institute
1201 15th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-266-8927
Email: buildacareer@hbi.org
