HBI's Schools to Skills Grant Application Now Open
Attracting new talent to the trades continues to challenge the residential construction industry. To help boost the amount of U.S. secondary schools with a skilled trades curriculum, HBI is once again offering its Schools to Skills Grant. The grant provides schools with the resources to implement HBI’s Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training (PACT) curriculum — which removes financial barriers to making high-quality trades education accessible to more students across the country — at no cost for two years.
HBI’s PACT curriculum is a pre-apprenticeship program that equips students with the skills they need for careers in construction trades. The grant covers:
- Curriculum materials
- Educator training
- Student assessments
- Ongoing support for successful implementation
HBI’s PACT curriculum is one of only three national programs recognized and approved by the U.S. Department of Labor and many state education departments. In addition, PACT helps students gain valuable skills and connections to the local building industry, with support from NAHB and its local and state associations.
All HBAs and members who work with schools should encourage administrators to apply for the Schools to Skills Grant. The grant is open exclusively to secondary schools and districts looking to enhance their construction trades programs with HBI’s PACT curriculum.
Applications are open. The deadline to apply is Dec. 20, 2024, at 11:59 p m ET. Please contact HBI at [email protected] for more information about the grant.
Latest from NAHBNow
Jun 18, 2025
Podcast: Mid-Year Update on Economic Indicators and Advocacy PrioritiesOn the latest episode of NAHB’s podcast, Housing Developments, COO Paul Lopez welcomes NAHB Chief Economist Dr. Robert Dietz and Chief Advocacy Officer Ken Wingert for a mid-year check in on key economic indicators and NAHB policy priorities driving home building for the rest of 2025.
Jun 18, 2025
Sharp Drop in Multifamily Production Brings Overall Housing Starts DownOverall housing starts decreased 9.8% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.26 million units, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.
Latest Economic News
Jun 18, 2025
Sharp Drop in Multifamily Production Brings Overall Housing Starts DownA sharp decline in multifamily production pushed overall housing starts down in May, while single-family output was essentially flat due to economic and tariff uncertainty along with elevated interest rates.
Jun 17, 2025
Builder Sentiment at Third Lowest Reading Since 2012In a further sign of declining builder sentiment, the use of price incentives increased sharply in June as the housing market continues to soften.
Jun 16, 2025
Permit Activity Weakens in April 2025Housing permits continued a downhill trend for the fourth month in a row, pointing to a broader residential construction slowdown for 2025. Over the first four months of 2025, the total number of single-family permits issued year-to-date (YTD) nationwide reached 320,259.