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
Advocacy | Spring Leadership Meeting
Jun 12, 2026
Cabinet-Level Officials Discuss Regulatory Reform With NAHB MembersOn June 11, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin discussed housing, environmental and small business regulatory issues during NAHB’s Spring Leadership Meeting.
Economics
Jun 11, 2026
Fed Rate Hike Possible Amid Inflation and Geopolitical UncertaintyThe bond market is projecting that it is now more likely than not that the next monetary policy move by the central bank is a federal funds rate increase rather than a cut. NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz provides his insights and recaps key factors shaping the market.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Jun 12, 2026
Single-Family Permits Continue to Decline Through April as Multifamily Activity StrengthensThrough April 2026, residential construction activity remained uneven across housing sectors. Single-family permitting continued to soften compared with a year ago, reflecting persistent affordability challenges and elevated borrowing costs, while multifamily permitting posted solid gains supported by stronger activity in several regions.
Economics
Jun 11, 2026
Residential Building Material Prices Rise at Highest Rate In Over Three YearsWholesale prices of goods used in residential construction rose in May as energy prices continued to climb.
Economics
Jun 10, 2026
Inflation Surpassed 4% in MayInflation accelerated to a new three-year high in May, driven by continued increases in energy costs from the Iran war. Energy costs drove more than 60% of the monthly increase, with national gasoline prices jumping more than a dollar since the war began.