North Carolina Builders Encourage Students to ‘Be Proud, Be Pro’
North Carolina builders have accelerated efforts to encourage students to explore the many job opportunities available in the skilled trades. On Oct. 20, the North Carolina Home Builders Education and Charitable Foundation celebrated the launch of Be Pro Be Proud NC, an initiative to generate student, parent and educator interest in technical professions.
The event attracted high-profile speakers and attendees including, Rep. Virginia Foxx (NC-05), Commissioner Josh Dobson from the North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL) and Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt.
Through the support and oversight of the NCDOL, Be Pro Be Proud NC will utilize two custom-built exhibition trailers equipped with virtual reality technology to give middle and high school students hands-on experience with skilled professions in the construction, manufacturing, transportation and utility industries.
“Labor is the number one issue for our industry right now, and Be Pro Be Proud is one meaningful way for us to move the needle in the right direction,” said Tim Minton, Executive Vice President of the North Carolina Home Builders Association.
Different work stations inside the trailers utilize virtual reality technology to allow students to experience what it’s like to use an excavator, practice welding, drive a tractor trailer, and work in construction, among other activities. SPEVCO, a Winston-Salem, N.C.-based company that specializes in mobile exhibition trailers, constructed the vehicles.
North Carolina is the fourth state where the Be Pro Be Proud program operates. Arkansas, Georgia, and South Carolina are also involved in the program.
Latest from NAHBNow
Oct 07, 2025
NAHB HBCU Cohort Prepares Students for Success in ConstructionNAHB’s third annual Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Student Leadership program held a three-day learning, networking and development meeting in Washington, D.C.
Oct 06, 2025
NAHB Grants Fuel Hands-On Learning for Future BuildersAcross the country, NAHB’s Boys & Girls Club partnership funding — available through Career Connection at the National Housing Endowment — has helped local HBAs introduce young people to careers in the trades.
Latest Economic News
Oct 07, 2025
Minority-Owned Residential Building Firms Continue to RiseThe share of minority-owned new residential builders and remodelers has more than doubled since the Great Recession, with noticeable gains from 2017 to 2022. Nevertheless, when compared to the overall U.S. population, minority-owned firms continue to be underrepresented within both housing sectors.
Oct 06, 2025
Shorter Apartment Construction Time in 2024The average time needed to complete construction of a multifamily building after obtaining authorization edged down in 2024, according to the 2024 Survey of Construction (SOC) from the Census Bureau. On average, it took 19.6 months from permit to completion, about 0.3 months shorter than in 2023.
Oct 03, 2025
Supply-Side Cost Pressures Drove Housing as Inflation Leader in 2024Though the rate of inflation peaked in June 2022, consumer prices continued to increase throughout 2023 and 2024 as inflation drove further price growth, according to 2024 CPI review from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.