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
Jun 23, 2026
NAHB Helps Secure Passage of Historic Housing BillThe House today overwhelmingly approved the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, advancing to President Trump legislation that NAHB helped shape through a years-long advocacy effort to significantly boost housing production.
Jun 23, 2026
NAHB Applauds Congressional Passage of Landmark Housing BillNAHB Chairman Bill Owens issued the following statement after the House passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, sending the bill to President Trump to be signed into law.
Latest Economic News
Jun 24, 2026
Sawmill Output Slips as Capacity Continues to DeclineU.S. sawmill production fell in the first quarter, the second consecutive quarter of lower output according to the Federal Reserve G.17 Industrial Production report. Sawmill output has remained largely flat since 2023, after increasing in the post-pandemic period.
Jun 23, 2026
State-Level Employment Situation: May 2026State labor market conditions remained mixed in May, with payrolls expanding in many states while job losses were concentrated in a smaller group of states and the District of Columbia (D.C.). Construction employment also continued to grow nationwide, although performance varied considerably across states.
Jun 22, 2026
Structural Demand Outpacing Supply: Jobs-to-Permits Ratios Highlight Housing GapStrong labor market growth continued to put pressure on the nation’s housing supply in 2024, as home building activity did not fully keep pace with demand driven by job gains. Comparing net new jobs with prior-year permitting activity helps show whether the pace of housing construction is keeping up with potential household formation and broader economic growth.