market.” TRAINING TOMORROW’S BUILDERS Addressing the housing shortage also means addressing another pressing problem: the shortfall of skilled construction workers.Across the U.S., builders face acute labor shortages, with more retirements than new entrants joining the trades. To help close that gap, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati operates an innovative six-week construction training program designed to introduce adults with little or no prior experience to the building trades. Hosted at the CityLink Center — a local hub for workforce and social-service support — the program offers five cohorts per year, each serving 5–12 participants. “It’s basic, entry-level training focused on individuals who are new to construction,” Hansbauer explains. “Participants receive OSHA-10 certification, learn site safety, tool identification, and foundational trade skills.Then they spend about five full days on Habitat build sites applying what they’ve learned.” Graduates can transition directly into full-time employment or continue into a second six-week internship that provides hands-on site experience, income, and career coaching — from résumé building to interview preparation. “Our goal is job placement,” Hansbauer says.“When participants get hired full-time, that’s success.” WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN ACTION While some graduates are hired as assistant site supervisors within Habitat’s own projects, most move on to roles with local subcontractors and construction firms. That dual purpose — expanding affordable housing while strengthening the regional labor pool — has made the program a cornerstone of Habitat’s workforce development efforts. “As we scale, our subcontractor partners need more skilled labor,” Hansbauer explains. “This program helps fill that pipeline. We’re meeting a community need and an industry need at the same time.” The initiative also complements the resurgence of career and technical education (CTE) in local high schools and trade programs. Habitat collaborates with regional education partners to give students hands-on experience on build sites, linking classroom learning with real-world application. 44 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 11
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