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
Apr 09, 2026
Remodeling Market Sentiment Edges Down but Remains Positive in First QuarterThe National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released its NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for the first quarter, posting a reading of 62. While this reading is down two points from the previous quarter, it is still solidly in positive territory.
Apr 08, 2026
Watch Livestream of Virtual Spring Board of Directors MeetingThe NAHB Board of Directors will convene virtually on Tuesday, April 14, at 10 a.m. ET. A livestream is available on nahb.org for NAHB members and HBA executive officers who would like to observe the meeting.
Latest Economic News
Apr 09, 2026
Remodeling Market Sentiment Edges Down but Remains Positive in First QuarterIn the first quarter of 2026, the NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI) posted a reading of 62, down two points compared to the previous quarter. Despite this decline, the overall reading has been solidly in positive territory since Q1 2020.
Apr 08, 2026
Remodelers Saw Profit Margin Gains in 2024Profitability for residential remodelers reached its highest level in more than two decades in 2024. Industry-wide profit benchmarks are important because they allow companies to evaluate their financial performance in context with the industry.
Apr 07, 2026
Rising Rates Weigh on Mortgage ActivityMortgage application activity decreased month-over-month as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Market Composite Index, a measure of total mortgage application volume, declined 4.3% from February on a seasonally adjusted basis but remained 30.8% higher than a year earlier.