State Reps Discuss Making Workforce Development a Priority

At the Spring Leadership Meetings in Washington, D.C., in June, two NAHB members shared personal stories on workforce development efforts in their home states, including what it takes to be an NAHB Workforce Development Champion.

Kimberly Mackey, founder of New Homes Solutions Consulting in Tampa, Fla., spoke with Ric Johnson, Ohio State Representative and a Certified Aging in Place builder from Ada, Ohio, and Virginia State Representative Dan Sandoval, builder/director at Republic Home Builders in Fredericksburg, Va., who both shared information about the workforce development programs they’ve been personally involved with in their states.

Johnson shared information on the NAHB partnership with SkillsUSA, a national educational nonprofit focused on workforce development by encouraging high school students and those in vocational schools to get involved in the skilled trades. In Ohio, Johnson said the group works with the state home builder association on student contests that involve residential construction, noting that some of the students in the program have been hired by builders who were impressed with their work. “These are the future individuals that will go to work for our companies,” Johnson said.

In Virginia, Sandoval says the Discover Your Future event is an annual program that promotes to high school students the varied careers available in residential construction and explains how embarking on a career in the skilled trades can be a viable alternative to a four-year college degree.

The group also introduced the Workforce Champions Corner, a platform to provide updates on workforce development programs during future NAHB leadership meetings.

Watch the video below to learn more about these efforts and visit the workforce development page find out more about how you can become a Workforce Development Champion!