Aspiring Home Building Professionals Compete in SkillsUSA Competition
The talents of a diverse group of aspiring home building professionals were on display last month as thousands of students from Washington state put their skills to the test in the statewide SkillsUSA competition.
The event, which boasted more than 90 different competitions ranging from industrial motor control to plumbing, showcased the students’ real-world skills in front of industry professional judges.
“It was a very successful event,” said Al Audette, education and workforce development director for the Building Industry Association of Washington. “Our members had a great time seeing what students are doing in shop classes around the state.”
NAHB’s strong partnership with SkillsUSA, the national education nonprofit, continues to drive a targeted effort on enhancing workforce development and addressing the nation’s skilled labor shortage.
“The students not only had exposure to what other schools around the state are doing,” said Audette, “they were also able to learn from our members who served as mentors.”
SkillsUSA will host 53 key state-level competitions — including events in Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands — throughout the spring.
Winners from around the nation will ultimately compete during the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta June 24-28.
NAHB encourages its members to get involved and help attract budding talent in residential construction to take part in SkillsUSA activities. Learn more about NAHB’s partnership with SkillsUSA at nahb.org.
Latest from NAHBNow
Education
Oct 28, 2026
How Project Managers Can Effectively Set Expectations to Find Success
Hone your management skills in an upcoming Nov. 12 live online course titled “Project Controls Fundamentals: Monitoring Scope, Cost and Time” from 1-4 p.m. ET.
Codes and Standards
Oct 28, 2026
What a Building Code Study Gets Wrong About Housing Affordability
A working paper from researchers at the University of Alabama concludes that when a jurisdiction adopts new residential building codes, it has no effect on the sales prices of homes. But a close technical review reveals that the study’s policy conclusions go well beyond what its analysis can establish.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Oct 28, 2026
Homeownership Rate Rises to 65.5%
The latest homeownership rate reached 65.5% in the third quarter of 2026, according to the Census’s Housing Vacancy Survey (HVS). While this was a modest quarterly decrease, the broader picture continues to reflect significant affordability challenges.
Economics
Oct 28, 2026
Fed Holds Rates, With Two Votes for Another Hike
The Federal Reserve maintained the federal funds rate at a target range of 3.75% to 4% at the conclusion of its October policy meeting. Approved by a 10–2 vote, the decision followed September’s quarter-point increase. Federal Open Market Committee members Lisa Cook and Beth Hammack dissented, supporting another 25-basis-point increase for October.
Economics
Oct 27, 2026
Affordability Challenges Push New Home Sales Lower
High mortgage rates and economic uncertainty continued to keep potential home buyers on the sidelines and constrain new home sales in September. New home sales declined from August and remained below year-ago levels, with year-to-date sales also lagging for 2025.