Florida Builders Host Spooktacular Workforce Development Event
Members of the Gold Coast Builders Association (GCBA) in West Palm Beach, Fla., are spearheading efforts to introduce students to valuable careers in construction. The association held a fun-filled and educational Halloween-inspired event as part of Build Across America Day on Oct. 29.
Led by NAHB, Build Across America Day is a national workforce development program introducing kindergarten through 6th-grade children to the trades during Careers in Construction Month in October.
To drum up interest and excitement, Marc Kruger, COO of Hierromat Development, was the featured guest on a local ABC news segment promoting Build Across America Day. Kruger encouraged the community to participate in the event and conveyed several reasons why it’s important for students to be introduced to the skilled trades.
“As students go through high school, if they decide that a college route or joining the military is not right for them, they now know that there are other trades out there,” said Kruger. “The building industry is filled with a lot of different jobs.”
The event, held at a local school, kicked off with a live-streamed reading of The House That She Built by Mollie Elkman. As a special treat, the first 40 children who arrived at the event received a copy of the book. Following the reading, students constructed a cookie-and-candy haunted house. In addition, participants had the option to spend time with construction-themed coloring activities.
Participants also had the opportunity to paint a free little library. The libraries will be placed prominently in the local community and filled with construction-themed books.
“The GCBA team demonstrated what is possible when everyone works towards the common goal of helping to build the future of our industry through education for today’s young people,” said K.T. Catlin, GCBA executive officer. “We’re proud to play an integral role in Build Across America.”
GCBA is one of the many HBAs that hosted an event in October to celebrate Careers in Construction Month. If you or someone you know is a workforce development champion, please share your story with NAHB.
Latest from NAHBNow
Economics
May 14, 2026
Building Material Prices Increase at Fastest Pace in Three YearsPrices of building materials used in residential construction, excluding energy, were up 3.7% in April, the fastest pace in three years, according to the most recent Producer Price Index.
Economics
May 13, 2026
Inflation Outpaces Wage Growth for First Time Since 2023Energy costs drove more than 40% of the monthly increase as national gasoline prices rose to their highest totals in nearly four years.
Latest Economic News
Economics
May 14, 2026
Mostly Unchanged Demand, Lending Conditions for Residential Mortgages in First QuarterLending standards and demand for most types of residential mortgages were essentially in the first quarter of 2026, according to the recent release of the Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey (SLOOS). For commercial real estate (CRE) loans, lending standards for multifamily construction & development were essentially unchanged as well.
Economics
May 13, 2026
Residential Construction Input Prices Move Higher In AprilPrices rose across a host of goods and services used in residential construction. Rising energy prices were the primary driver, but transportation service prices also rose at their fastest pace since 2022. Meanwhile, building material prices, excluding energy, rose at their highest yearly rate in three years, up 3.7% from a year ago.
Economics
May 13, 2026
Delinquencies Holds Steady in First Quarter of 2026Consumer loan delinquency rates continued to normalize in the first quarter of 2026 as pandemic-related disruptions diminished and credit conditions moved closer to historical norms.