The U.S. education system should emphasize preparing students for skills-driven careers in addition to readying them for four-year colleges and universities, Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education said in a new study released to coincide with Career and Technical Education Month.

The Harvard study, “Pathways to Prosperity,” provides insights that are pertinent to the construction industry, which according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has an estimated six million construction workers involved in more than 150 careers.

Despite the need for trained and certified workers, the Harvard report found that six in 10 Americans do not complete post-secondary degrees by their mid-20s, and only one in 10 earns an occupational certification.

Finding that only a third of the 47 million new jobs expected in the U.S. by 2018 will require a bachelor’s degree or higher and that almost as many will require an associate’s degree or post-secondary credentials, the Harvard study recommends the approach of several European countries that emphasizes career and technical education.

Under this model, students obtain school- and work-based training in a wide range of occupations before focusing on a specialty.  

In addition, the report calls for businesses to become more engaged in the learning process by helping to set standards and design programs of study; advising young people; and providing greatly expanded opportunities for work-linked learning.

The report predicts that the construction, manufacturing and natural resources extraction industry sectors will have nearly eight million job openings by 2018.

The HBI Approach

Home Builders Institute (HBI), the workforce development arm of NAHB, has long advocated preparing young people for viable, promising and lucrative home building industry careers. The HBI approach — which includes curriculum based on residential construction national skill standards developed by NAHB members — is further bolstered by industry certification for instructors and students.

“We are currently working through high schools, career and technical schools, community colleges and even through our own Job Corps programs nationwide to help prepare students for careers in the skilled trades,” said HBI President and CEO Fred Humphreys. “By linking student’s studies to the skills necessary for apprenticeships and other entry-level jobs, we are providing them with the solid foundation they need to launch a career in the residential construction industry.”

As Baby Boomers begin to retire, training younger residential construction professionals will be critical to ensuring that the housing industry continues to thrive, said Humphreys.  

One example of how building industry professionals can get involved with training and educating young people is through HBI’s Construction-Coaching Opportunities to Reach Employment (C-CORE) program. C-CORE matches 5,000 youths aged 16 to 18 with more than 1,600 industry mentors recruited from home builders associations, NAHB Student Chapters, other business organizations and local communities.

C-CORE students work with residential construction mentors in trades such as house wiring, plumbing, carpentry, brick masonry, landscaping, painting, facilities maintenance, and heating, ventilating and air conditioning. They also have the opportunity to work in non-trades home building careers such as interior design and real estate.

Working with mentors provides the students with real world experiences that help them determine if they want to pursue a career in housing and what types of post-secondary education they need to reach their goals.

“As the economy emerges from recession, and we see new trends toward green building and energy efficiency, our industry will need skilled workers. We hope that educators, counselors and parents will take notice of Harvard’s report and change the way they view career-focused education,” Humphreys said.

For more information about HBI/NAHB industry certification for instructors and students, e-mail Deanna Lewis at HBI, or call her at 800-795-7955 x8927.