Arizona Addresses Skilled Trades Shortage with New Academy
Phoenix, like many cities across the country, is facing a severe skilled labor shortage. To help turn the tide, the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona’s (HBACA) charitable arm, Home Builders Care (HBC) announced a grand opening of a Home Building Academy on Aug. 15. The new educational facility will serve as a residential construction skilled trades training center in Phoenix.
“In creating the Academy, we wanted to ensure that we removed as many obstacles to getting training and going to work in the residential construction industry as we could,” said HBC Board member Connie Wilhelm. “We want students who graduate on a Friday to be able to go to work the following Monday, that’s why we provide tools students need to go to work.”
At the Academy, students participate in a nine-week rapid worker training, resulting in industry-recognized certificates in either carpentry or electrical. The first four weeks of the training provide basic construction knowledge such as reading a tape measure, using hand and power tools, and safe work practices including an OSHA 10-hour certificate. The remaining five weeks are trade- specific training.
The Academy is tuition free for qualified students and students maintaining satisfactory academic progress will receive a weekly stipend for living expenses. In addition, successful graduates will leave with a set of tools, boots, work clothes, and personal protective equipment.
“One of the major challenges in the residential construction industry is the shortage of skilled workers,” said Brad Schoenberg, Chairman of the HBACA Board of Directors. “We are excited about growing the Academy, growing our industry, and helping individuals find well-paying careers in the residential construction industry.”
The Academy is funded primarily by a workforce development grant through Maricopa County and an industry investment through HBACA. The Academy is also supported by The Home Depot Foundation through the Home Builders Institute.
Latest from NAHBNow
Advocacy
Jul 24, 2026
Latest Tariff Actions Add Uncertainty to Housing MarketRecent tariff developments could create more uncertainty for home builders over building material supply chains and pricing.
Economics
Jul 24, 2026
New Home Sales Edge Higher as Affordability Challenges PersistSales of newly built single-family home rose 1.6% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 628,000, up from an upwardly revised May estimate, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. The pace of new home sales is down 5.6% from a year earlier.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Jul 24, 2026
New Home Sales Edge Higher as Affordability Challenges PersistAffordability challenges continued to weigh on the new-home market in June, as elevated mortgage rates, rising inflation and broader economic uncertainty kept many prospective buyers on the sidelines.
Economics
Jul 23, 2026
Acquisitions Increasing Among Home BuildersAt the start of 2026, most home builders predicted that high mortgage rates and hesitancy among buyers would be their toughest challenges this year. They weren’t wrong: the 30-year mortgage rate averaged 6.49% in June and housing demand has weakened, as reflected by flat mortgage applications in the first half of the year.
Economics
Jul 22, 2026
What Do Home Buyers Purchase After They Move InBuying a home typically generates a wave of consumer spending beyond the purchase of the home itself. Following a home purchase, households often buy appliances and furnishings and undertake remodeling and repair projects to make the home fit their needs and preferences.