HBI’s Nearly 50-Year Partnership with Job Corps Highlights Program’s Importance
Home Builders Institute (HBI) has partnered with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps program for 49 years to provide individuals aged 16-24 years old with career technical education and training.
HBI’s training programs with Job Corps — which include building construction technology (BCT), electrical, HVAC, landscaping, solar and plumbing — teach technical job skills as well as employability skills — like responsibility, time management and effective communications — with basic academics. These programs provide job skills as they build character, self-esteem and the interpersonal skills students need to succeed in life.
“When I needed someone to believe in me, I found that person in HBI,” said Starr Delgado, a 2001 graduate of the HBI Job Corps plumbing program and current program instructor. “They put me on a path that changed my life.”
Through HBI’s Jobs Corps training programs, students receive a trade-specific pre-apprenticeship certificate, OSHA-10 certification, and other industry-recognized credentials upon graduation. HBI also provides program graduates with job placement and transitional support to build a successful career in construction.
The program — which includes 69 sites across 40 states — has graduated more than 121,000 students since it began in 1974. Learn more about the importance of this program and its students at hbi.org.
Latest from NAHBNow
Advocacy
Oct 02, 2026
Stay on Message: Access NAHBs Latest Housing Talking Points
The monthly update provides talking points to help members stay informed with clear and consistent messages on issues affecting the residential construction industry.
Fall Leadership Meeting
Oct 02, 2026
Watch Livestreams of Key Fall Leadership Meetings
NAHB leadership will gather Oct. 6-8 for the 2026 Fall Leadership Meeting in Detroit. Members and HBA staff not in attendance can view livestreams of the key meetings.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Oct 02, 2026
U.S. Economy Adds 29,000 Jobs in September as Prior Months Are Revised Down
The U.S. labor market cooled in September, with nonfarm payroll employment increasing by just 29,000 as downward revisions erased most of August’s previously reported strength. The unemployment rate edged up to 4.2%, as both employment and the labor force continued to grow.
Economics
Oct 01, 2026
Private Residential Construction Spending Posts Broad-Based Gains in August
Private residential construction spending rose in August 2026 following a series of declines during the second quarter of the year. According to the latest construction spending data from the U.S. Census Bureau, private residential construction spending came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of $882.3 billion in August, up 1.1% from July but down 4.8% from a year ago.
Economics
Oct 01, 2026
AI Exposure Remains Relatively Low Across Most Construction Occupations
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing how work gets done, but its impact varies considerably across occupations. For most construction occupations, near-term exposure to AI remains relatively low.