How PWB Members are Bridging the Skilled Labor Gap in Construction

NAHB’s Professional Women in Building (PWB) Council is working to bridge the skilled labor gap in construction through a new workforce development collaboration with SkillsUSA, a national education nonprofit.

The goal is to inspire and mentor the most talented individuals locally and build a robust construction workforce pipeline. SkillsUSA is the national organization for students in trade, industrial, technical and health occupations education.

“I’m incredibly excited about the SkillsUSA and Professional Women in Building initiative,” said PWB Council Chair Carrie DeWeese, “because it creates powerful opportunities to inspire and support the next generation of skilled trades professionals — especially young women entering the industry.”

PWB members can help make the collaboration a success by mentoring students to help them prepare for their careers, supporting and judging student competition, and donating supplies.

“I encourage PWB members to get involved in this workforce development effort because their mentorship, experience, and leadership can make a lasting impact on students and help build a stronger, more diverse future for our industry,” said DeWeese.

This summer, PWB members can help by:

• Learning about the partnership during the Spring Leadership meeting in Washington, D.C.;
• Connecting with their state’s SkillsUSA director before June 30 (PWB local council chairs will receive an introduction email);
• Planning a state call to coordinate all councils in July;
• Preparing for the academic year by attending summer professional development conferences, serving on technical committees and more;
• Coordinating activities with students in August and September;
• And participating in a check-in webinar to share experiences and plans for October’s Careers in Construction Month

Learn more about PWB and SkillsUSA’s exciting collaboration and how to get involved here.