3 Key Benefits of Starting or Joining a Student Chapter
Summer is nearing its end, and for many, that means it's time to go back to school. This is a great opportunity for HBAs to create or re-establish student chapters at schools with skilled or vocational programs and colleges with construction management programs.
NAHB currently boasts more than 100 student chapters nationwide, including more than 160 faculty advisors and 4,500 student members. And there are several reasons why these chapters are growing in popularity, including:
- Student chapters are crucial to the growth of the next generation of home builders. HBAs have the chance to provide hands-on experience and share their depth of institutional knowledge with those who have a budding passion for residential construction.
- Student chapters provide a unique, open forum for students to engage with and learn from their peers as well as from industry professionals. This helps foster a sense of community and gives them opportunities to learn from real-world experience and team collaboration. Student members may visit construction sites, manufacturing plants and even participate in competitions.
- Members of student chapters have a competitive advantage when job hunting, as employers seek candidates with extracurricular activities beyond typical coursework. When seeking a full-time job, students also enjoy the added benefit of having already met or worked with some of the NAHB members in the area.
See which HBAs already have a student chapter, and learn how you can start a student chapter.
Latest from NAHBNow
Every October, NAHB and the residential construction industry celebrate Careers in Construction Month, a time to raise awareness of the rewarding opportunities available in the skilled trades.
Technology has quickly evolved from an optional upgrade to a core part of a home’s infrastructure. Communications expert and NAHB member Katye McGregor Bennett shares which technologies and trends stood out the most at the recent CEDIA Expo, and what builders should keep an eye on in 2027.
Latest Economic News
Private residential construction spending rose in August 2026 following a series of declines during the second quarter of the year. According to the latest construction spending data from the U.S. Census Bureau, private residential construction spending came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of $882.3 billion in August, up 1.1% from July but down 4.8% from a year ago.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing how work gets done, but its impact varies considerably across occupations. For most construction occupations, near-term exposure to AI remains relatively low.
Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased in 44 states and the District of Columbia in the second quarter of 2026, according to the latest estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).