The Home Builders Institute (HBI) is gearing up to help prepare the local workforce for reconstruction in Texas and Florida following the recent hurricanes. Norbord Inc.'s donation of $1 million to HBI will help train individuals in the building industry to rebuild in communities that were hard-hit by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

“HBI appreciates Norbord's generous financial support and commitment to the industry, which helps to restore normalcy to millions of lives while preparing workers for long-term careers,” stated John Courson, HBI president and CEO.

HBI's industry-recognized training program is an “open-entry, skilled-exit” model and is one of only three curricula recognized by the Department of Labor. The program is designed to train, certify and place individuals in construction trades skills, including carpentry and framing houses, over 12- to 14-week periods. According to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports, reconstruction in the hurricane-hit areas will take years.

“HBI is planning training programs that will expand current HBI programs and set up new ones in Texas and Florida over the next two years. FEMA estimates billions of dollars of damage in the devastated areas. With the current labor shortage in the building industry, we know we need even more skilled workers to take on this challenge. HBI's 50 years of career technical training and our Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training position us well,” Courson explained.

HBI expects to be on the ground and running training programs in the coming months.

About HBI

HBI is a national nonprofit that provides training, curriculum development and job placement services for the building industry. With job placement rates at more than 80 percent for graduates, HBI training programs are taught in local communities across the country to at-risk youth, veterans, transitioning military members, justice-involved youth and adults and displaced workers.

For more information, visit hbi.org.

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