Home Builders Institute buys related trade group

The Home Builders Institute (HBI), a Washington, D.C.-based industry trade group that focuses on construction career training, has acquired the Future Builders of America (FBA) of Tampa.

In buying the assets, trademark and programming of FBA, HBI says it hopes to expand its reach nationwide. FBA was launched by the Florida Home Builders Association in 2003.

“The Future Builders of America has been the great pride of participating Florida schools, students and sponsors,” says Ed Brady, HBI’s president and CEO, in a statement.

“With FBA now a part of HBI, we have the potential to serve thousands more young people nationwide.”

Brady adds that the group could “provide students everywhere the opportunity to gain the enthusiasm and abilities needed to be successful in building industry careers.”

     “To create the next generation of America’s skilled workforce in residential construction will require our industry to attract more young people at the secondary school level,” Brady says.

     Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

     FBA’s mission has been to link students interested in careers in construction with local builders. In its 18-year-history, the group has grown into 17 chapters statewide with some 3,500 participants.

     In many cases, builders have provided summer and post-graduation employment.

            “HBI’s acquisition of FBA means our students will have the benefit of HBI’s national network of resources and its industry-recognized skilled trades curriculum and certifications,” says Cindy Hall, who has worked as FBA’s executive director since 2016, in a statement.

            Like FBA, the nonprofit HBI has been committed to training skilled workers for the building industry. It is the nation’s leading provider of career technical education in construction.

     It also offers certification programs, advance training and job placement for more than 10,000 students annually, and is the

largest residential construction trainer for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps, operating 66 centers nationwide.

     “We will continue to work closely with the Florida Home Builders Association and FBA donors to assure its continued success all across the U.S.,” Hall adds.

            High schools participating in FBA can apply for grants to fund pre-apprenticeship curriculum in residential construction so that students can earn industry-recognized credentials.