President’s message

In February 1917, Congress passed the Smith-Hughes Act, representing the first major federal investment in secondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) in the U.S. Now 106 years later, we celebrate February as CTE Month across the nation.

Here in Washington, BIAW supports CTE as a pathway for youth to learn valuable trades skills, so they’re prepared to help us build the homes our state desperately needs.

Developing our future workforce to build more homes

As president, I’ve made developing our future workforce a top priority once again for 2023. Right now, Washington needs roughly 270,000 new homes just to meet demand. With builders across Washington reaching retirement age, it’s way past time to recruit, train and support the next generation of builders who will come in behind us to continue our legacies.

Working with CTE programs around the state

As a member of the BIAW Workforce Development Task Force, I’m proud of the work Education and Workforce Development Director Al Audette and our task force members have done to build and strengthen relationships with CTE college instructors and counselors by sponsoring and attending their conferences and sharing resources.

Our local home builders work directly with trade schools in their communities as well. As you’ll learn in this issue, the Master Builders Association of Pierce County has developed a strong relationship with the Pierce County Skills Center, providing guest speakers, internships and financial support. In January, their Emerging Professionals group delivered hundreds of tools and more than $400 in cash to the Construction Trades Program there. You’ll also read this month about the Jefferson County Home Builders Association and its partnership with Quilcene-Brinnon High School’s CTE program.

The Central Washington Home Builders support their local trade school, Perry Technical Institute, with scholarships, professional opportunities and leadership as well. BIAW recently featured graduates of Perry Tech and the Kitsap Builder Grant program in a new video to recruit youth into the trades. Find the “Painting Pathways to the Trades” video on the BIAW YouTube channel!

Providing financial support to students and programs

Each year, BIAW and local associations across the state provide tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships and grants to students pursuing CTE and the programs that will train them. BIAW featured several scholarship winners during Careers in Construction Month in October. They also developed a new page on BIAW.com full of student resources including the application for BIAW’s scholarships as well as other scholarship opportunities at local associations.

Thank you for joining me in supporting the next generation!