Funding Available to Bring Shop Back to Schools

Workforce Development
Published

The Home Builders Institute continues to expand its trades training programs into secondary schools across the country with generous funding from The Home Depot Foundation and the National Housing Endowment.

Schools to Skills grant funding allows secondary schools to create or enhance a career technical education program using HBI’s nationally recognized, patented Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training (PACT) curriculum and industry-approved certifications. PACT is designed to be hands-on and competency-based, and aligns with the STEM education model. With a PACT curriculum, students can learn construction trade basics, gain practical skills, and secure industry recognized credentials.

PACT is one of only three national curricula recognized and approved by the U.S. Department of Labor and many state departments of education. The curriculum is ideal for middle or high schools in your community that are interested in broadening students’ career horizons and offering affordable alternatives to traditional college paths.

Share the School to Skills grant information with your local school district or high school and encourage them to apply. The application process is easy and does not require a grant writer or consultant to complete.

Applications are open, and the deadline to apply is Dec. 15. For questions about the grant or application process, contact [email protected].

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Workforce Development | Student Chapters

Mar 02, 2026

NAHB Student Competition Success Shows Residential Construction Future is Bright

For two days at the International Builders' Show, aspiring land developers, designers and project managers from NAHB Student Chapters across the country presented thorough building proposals and fielded tough questions from an audience of construction company executives.

Material Costs

Feb 27, 2026

Senate Bill Would Exclude Building Materials from Tariffs

NAHB worked with Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) to introduce legislation that would address the housing affordability crisis by creating an exemption process for building materials from tariffs.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Feb 27, 2026

Gains for Student Housing Construction in the Last Quarter of 2025

Private fixed investment for student dormitories was up 1.5% in the last quarter of 2025, reaching a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of $3.9 billion. This gain followed three consecutive quarterly declines before rebounding in the final two quarters of the year.

Economics

Feb 27, 2026

Price Growth for Building Materials Slows to Start the Year

Residential building material prices rose at a slower rate in January, according to the latest Producer Price Index release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This was the first decline in the rate of price growth since April of last year. Metal products continue to experience price increases, while specific wood products are showing declines in prices.

Economics

Feb 26, 2026

Home Improvement Loan Applications Moderate as Borrower Profile Gradually Ages

Home improvement activity has remained elevated in the post-pandemic period, but both the volume of loan applications and the age profile of borrowers have shifted in notable ways. Data from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), analyzed by NAHB, show that total home improvement loan applications have eased from their recent post-pandemic peak, and the distribution of borrowers across age groups has gradually tilted older.