How NAHB's Student Competition Prepares Students for the Workforce

Every February, the home building industry celebrates Career and Technical Education Month, a time to spotlight the training and educational opportunities that prepare students for careers in the trades. This is the second story in a weekly series highlighting the month.

Scott Larson’s team of 10th-12th grade students at Baldwin Preparatory Academy (BPA) in southern Alabama were eager to participate in their first NAHB Student Competition in 2025, placing second. Now they have their eyes on taking the top crown.

The annual competition is a major highlight of the International Builders’ Show (IBS) and gives students the opportunity to apply skills learned in the classroom to a real-world construction project. That project is then presented and critiqued in front of a panel of industry professionals.

"The biggest thing for the students was going through the project to learn ‘Hey, we can do this,’" said Larson, a remodeler who also works as a building construction instructor at BPA.

"It gave them a lot of confidence in their abilities that they probably didn’t have before because this is a demanding project. They had to get into the nitty-gritty of the blueprints and figure out material quantities, costs and working on a schedule."

The Competition Creates a Natural Network for Students

To ensure their proposals meet real-world standards, students often seek guidance from industry professionals in their area. It’s an excellent way for them to not only learn more about their build but connect with people in positions to help them land full-time employment down the line.

This year, Larson called on local contractors from D.R. Horton to talk to his students about project management and what it’s like to work in the field. "They made a lot of contacts that they might not have otherwise," he said.

Randy McDowell’s students at Middle Bucks Institute of Technology were initially a little nervous entering their first competition in 2026 after watching last year’s winners, Bartow High School, present without cue cards. But now, equipped with knowledge and tips from industry professionals in their area, they’re ready to make their IBS debut.

McDowell credits his school’s close relationship with the Home Builders Association of Bucks and Montgomery Counties, which connected him with Chris Sukonik, a competition alumni from Penn State who now works at Sukonik Building Companies, to prepare the students with what to expect.

"The students were really awakened to the process of all the details that go into estimating," McDowell said.

His students also received help from executives at Toll Brothers, who supplied construction samples to inform their proposal.

Builders Should Look to the Competition for Their Own Recruitment

Larson strongly suggests companies attending IBS pay attention to who is competing in the Student Competition. The months-long preparation is only for the most dedicated, and the hands-on experience is unique for young professionals their age entering the workforce.

"The students who are willing to do all that extra work at the competition, especially not for a grade, are the ones who are going to make the good employees," he said.

"They’ve got the soft skills and employability skills that everyone needs. They’re hard-working; they’re open to try new ideas; they’re teachable; they’re willing to learn. Those are the qualities everyone’s looking for in their employees."