NAHB's Newest HBCU Cohort Learns Career Development Skills

Workforce Development
Published
HBCU Student Leadership Cohort Group
The 2024-25 HBCU Student Leadership cohort along with Student Chapter Advisory Board Chair Dr. Charner Rodgers (front right) and Vice Chair Myles Cardenas (front left).
HBCU Leadership Cohort Student
Jayson Mollett, a student at Morgan State University, listens to a guest lecturer.
HBCU Leadership Cohort Students Talking
Students Renee Perez (left) from St. Philip’s College and Junie Saint Juste (right) from Florida A&M converse. 
HBCU Student Leadership Cohort 2024
HBCU Student Leadership Cohort students listen to discussion from guest speakers. 

Cultivating, educating and inspiring the next generation of building professionals is a key priority for the industry. As part of those efforts, NAHB’s second annual Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Student Leadership program held a three-day learning, networking and development meeting last month in Washington, D.C. 

Throughout the event, 20 students learned key lessons from industry professionals and NAHB staff, including how to develop an actionable career plan, how to use social media as a career development tool, and how to network.

“I feel like this is a great experience so I can get a feel for residential construction, because I’m still deciding whether I want to pursue a career in residential or commercial construction,” said Radjae Reid, a student at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

The program was established in 2023 to equip diverse, young adults with the skills, knowledge and connections needed to thrive in the residential construction industry. It comprises a growing number of students from HBCUs including: Alabama A&M, Florida A&M, Lawson State Community College, Morgan State, Norfolk State, North Carolina A&T, Prairie View A&M, St. Phillip's College, Tuskegee and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. 

During the D.C. event, the students also took a trip to visit a residential construction site in nearby Bethesda, Md., explored the African American History Smithsonian Museum and learned about the International Builders’ Show (IBS), which will be held Feb. 25-27 in Las Vegas. 

Junie Saint Juste, a Florida A&M University student, was encouraged to sign up for the HBCU Student Leadership program by an alumni from its inaugural session. Saint Juste was impressed with the presentations and grateful to get some additional insights about the upcoming Student Competition at IBS.

“I knew I needed to be in this cohort so I can learn some more about the construction industry and bring back the knowledge to my group for the competition,” Saint Juste said.

Learn more about what the program accomplished in its first year and see what an alumni of the program said regarding the importance of supporting the next generation of builders.

Learn more about the Student Competition, set to take place Feb. 24-26, 2025. 

Sponsors

Andersen Windows logo
Mitek logo

Subscribe to NAHBNow

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

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Economics

Apr 29, 2026

Home Building Shows Signs of Stabilization with Monthly Gain in Starts

Overall housing starts increased 10.8% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.5 million units, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Housing Affordability

Apr 28, 2026

NAHB Applauds HUD and USDA Action to Roll Back Costly Energy Mandate

NAHB Chairman Bill Owens issued the following statement after the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) announcement today to rescind the rule that would impose the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and ASHRAE 90.1-2019 as the minimum energy-efficiency standards for certain single-family and multifamily housing programs.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Apr 28, 2026

Homeownership Rate Edges Down to 65.3%

The latest homeownership rate declined to 65.3% in the first 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

Apr 23, 2026

The Silver Tsunami Isn’t Landing Where It’s Needed Most

The “silver tsunami” refers to the wave of housing inventory expected as older homeowners downsize or transition out of their homes. According to the latest American Community Survey, there are an estimated 61.2 million people in the U.S. aged 65 years or older, representing about 18% of the population.

Economics

Apr 22, 2026

State-Level Employment Situation: February 2026

February’s labor market data point to a notable pullback in employment, with job losses concentrated across a majority of states and only modest gains elsewhere. While January showed solid momentum, February’s decline reflects emerging softness in hiring conditions, alongside uneven performance across the country.