Portland’s first residential focused construction training program will soon be underway. Home Building Foundation hosted a kickoff event in late April for Building to Scale, the brainchild of longtime supporter Nathan Young of ModsPDX. The paid training program for adults over the age of 18 will begin with a 10- week session this summer at his north Portland warehouse.

HBF Executive Director Regan Schutz and Nathan Young

Building to Scale will select a cohort of 12-14 students who will build a modular housing unit designed by HONE. They will witness the entire process from framing to electrical and plumbing as well, and will also learn by observing HONE staff who will be working on the units as well. Young explains “We want them to have a hands-on experience of what it means to be in this industry. The whole goal for us has always been to create passion. If we can create passion for the built environment, we can probably keep you in it, because it's going to require that you put lots of dedication into it.”

Both the HBA and the Foundation have been involved in helping Young develop his program. Young held a strategy session with HBA members to learn what they valued most in employees. HBF connected Young with resources to start his own nonprofit, and has helped promote the program to its contacts in high school and adult training programs. Building to Scale has raised nearly $200,000 in grants for its pilot year through Worksystems, PCC and the Port of Portland. Those grants will pay for half of the pilot program, with pledges to fund the entire tab next summer. Taylor Morrison’s Alaina Robertson lent her organization and her personal support to the venture “This is how we bring passions and families and people together to create community … you just have to have heart to be in our industry.”

HBF’s Executive Director Regan Schutz says the program will be a key partner in the Foundation’s new WERC Initiative: “Workforce Expansion in Residential Construction”, and will provide us with opportunities to connect with local construction training programs. If you would like to be involved, contact Schutz at Regans@hbapdx.org.

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