Trent Theye, SDHBA Workforce Chairman

On April 9 & 10, eight SDHBA board members, along with an HBA member and the SDHBA Executive Officer traveled to ,itchell Technical Institute to judge and support the students competing in this years state Skills USA competition. We had 47 students registered in the Carpentry, Cabinetry, Architectural Drafting, and TeamWorks. Students were given a goodie bag and were asked to fill out a short survey which will help us with future success to support this student activity. Out of the 47 students competing we had over 30% of them showing an interest in the building industry. We lured in the students with donuts and juice Friday morning to discuss our organization and what it means for us to have them participate in this competition and what it means for our future in the building industry.

The completion started on Thursday and finished up around noon on Friday. With the great support of 3 sponsors of–Stan Houston, Builder’s First Source, and Mead Lumber– we were able to sponsor the prizes for those 4 competitions that we helped judge. After the closing ceremony on Friday, prizes and medals were handed out to the 3 top winners of every category. When the students received their prizes we were able to get a photo opportunity with them and we shared that on our SDHBA Facebook page. Each first place contestant will have the opportunity to go to the National Skills USA competition in Atlanta, Georgia on June 1-4. That whole competition covers 1.79 million square foot and is equivalent to 31 football fields. What an experience that will be for those students! We were surprised and honored by the SD Skills USA board by giving the SDHBA the Distinguished Service Business Award for going above and beyond, not only for the SLSC event but with the SD Skills USA as a whole.

It has been a goal for the SDHBA Workforce Committee to continue to make a connection to students interested in the building trades industry to help fill our voids in our workforce and to hopefully become involved in their local homebuilders association one day. Our plan is to keep supporting these students in Skills USA as well as student chapters of homebuilders. Many of us are striving to make that face to face contact with these students and schools to start and maintain that relationship. Please mention Skills USA and student chapter of the HomeBuilders to any young people you know that are interested in our industry. With the cooperation of all of our members, I feel we will achieve and maintain a respect with these young individuals that may one day become a influential force in our building industry.

South Dakota Home Builders Association

In Association With