Student Chapter Partnership Leads to New Hires in the Trades
NAHB is spotlighting career and technical education-related stories throughout CTE Month® in February.
The Eastern Idaho Home Builders Association members are passionate about attracting the next generation of residential construction industry professionals. Throughout the year, the HBA members generously donate their time to train, inspire and mentor students enrolled in Technical Careers High School (TCHS), an NAHB Student Chapter in Idaho Falls.
Kyle Wright, TCHS residential construction teacher, says association members go above and beyond to support the school’s construction program. Guest speakers share their experiences working in the industry and often recruit graduates. In addition, HBA members help run the annual spring Construction Combine, a two-day skills training event that builds sheds for disabled veterans and connects students with builders for summer jobs.
HBA members also provide substantial financial support for students to attend the Secondary Schools Construction Management Student Competition at the International Builders’ Show (IBS). Additional funding for the IBS trip comes from selling sheds that the students construct during the year as part of their carpentry training, a travel scholarship from the National Housing Endowment and financial support from the school.
The NAHB Student Competition is a large part of the learning experience for juniors and seniors enrolled in the TCHS residential construction program. Estimating — a topic generally introduced later in senior year — is now spread across the curriculum to bolster the team’s skills.
“Attending the International Builders’ Show opens up the whole world to students and gives them a better idea of all that is available in residential construction,” says Wright.
To learn more about starting a student chapter in your community, visit the Student Chapters page on nahb.org or contact Sarah Weber.
Latest from NAHBNow
Advocacy | Multifamily
Nov 06, 2026
Treasury Announces New Opportunity Zone Designations
The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service have announced new Opportunity Zone designations for more than 6,500 communities nationwide, effective Jan. 1, 2027.
Membership Recruitment and Retention
Nov 05, 2026
The Value of Being One of NAHB's Top Recruiters
Member-to-member recruitment is essential for growing NAHB’s membership. Here are the perks members are being rewarded with for their efforts.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Nov 06, 2026
Hiring Rebounds in October, but Residential Construction Employment Declines
The U.S. labor market rebounded in October, with nonfarm payroll employment increasing by 165,000 jobs and the unemployment rate declining to 4.1%. However, the improvement in overall employment contrasts with continued weakness in residential construction, where employment fell by 16,400 jobs, the largest monthly decline since March 2021.
Economics
Nov 05, 2026
Multifamily Developer Confidence Weakens in Third Quarter
New multifamily housing confidence weakened year-over-year in the third quarter, according to the Multifamily Market Survey (MMS) by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The MMS produces two separate indices. The Multifamily Production Index (MPI) had a reading of 41, down five points year-over-year, while the Multifamily Occupancy Index (MOI) had a reading of 69, also down five points year-over-year.
Economics
Nov 04, 2026
Mortgage Applications Decline as Higher Rates Boost ARM Share
Mortgage application activity declined in October as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose sharply again. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Market Composite Index, a measure of total mortgage application volume, fell 14.1% month-over-month in October on a seasonally adjusted basis. Compared to a year ago, total mortgage applications were 39.8% lower.