Construction Trade Students are Our Future

HBA of Berks County is committed to work with two trade schools which are Berks Career & Technology Center and Reading Muhlenberg Career & Technology. HBA works closely with the Pennsylvania Builders Association (PBA) Endorsed Trade Program. The program is designed to work with the schools and provide students with industry-recognized certification to help strengthen their skills and qualifications. It is important that we all work together to support workforce development as some have a misconceptions of these schools. However, these students who are dedicated to the trades and want to continue with being educated and following a career path in the trades are just as important to our workforce as a student who chooses to be educated in another industry.

NAHB has a membership program called the Student Chapter which was created to allow students to become members. The program is dedicated to enriching students’ educational experience and offers firsthand exposure to the real world of the building industry through membership, educational programming, and networking opportunities. Both our CTCs are part of the Student Chapter program.

The HBA does an annual event with both CTCs where members have the opportunity to speak with the students on the importance of them being educated in the trades. Members also evaluate the CTCs, assist in re-aligning curriculum, work with the Student Chapters, and mentor the youth workers of our industry. During some of these events members are able to speak to the students and possibly recruit them to their company and in some cases that employer will provide further education.

The CTCs are also given the opportunity to participate in the HBA Home Show, which allows the students to show what they have learned and why the trades are important to the future of the building industry.

The building industry plays a critical role on the economy and the PBA created a program specifically to award students in the building industry with scholarships and that is called the Pennsylvania Foundation for Housing and they can always use your help. Find out how you may help at Support - The Pennsylvania Foundation for Housing, Inc. (pafoundationforhousing.org). The HBA Board of Directors felt it was just as important to help with the workforce shortage by creating a scholarship program which helps those students interested in furthering their education in the building industry. The Builders Education Scholarship Foundation was created in 2016 and awarded their first scholarships in 2018 and continues to award students each year. Sometimes a student can receive matched funding from both foundations.

Currently we award two to three students per year who wish to continue their education to a two-year accredited college or university. Applications are taken and due in by March of each year and then reviewed by our Education Committee and students who are awarded the scholarship receive $2,000 for the two-year term which is spread over the two years in the amount of $500 per semester as long as they send proof of enrollment and grades.

It is important to keep this program going and support our trade students and our industry. We can always use your support in funding the program so we can continue to help further educate the students in the trades and help to minimize the building industries' workforce shortage.

If you would like to help out by giving a donation, please contact the HBA of Berks County at 610-777-8889 or cathy@hbaberks.org.

Donations can also be sent to Builders Education Scholarship Foundation 25 Stevens Ave, Bldg. A, Suite 3, West Lawn, PA 19609

Residential & Commercial Electrical Service & Repair

- Electrical Repair - Electrical Panel Upgrades - Code Violation Repairs - Wiring - Ceiling Fan Installation - Whole House Rewiring - Lighting Design & Installation - Safety & Security - Energy Saving Solutions - Parking Lot Lighting - Whole House Generators - Data & Phone Wiring - Smoke Detector Wiring Plus much more….

New Customers Receive

$25 off first invoice of $100-$300 $50 off first invoice of $300-$500

Get in Touch with an Electrician for a Free Estimate Today!

Phone: (844) 747-7357 Website: http://www.selsllc.org/ 120 Prospect St.

Reading, PA 19606