Every city wants safer streets, stronger communities, and more opportunities for its residents – including those reentering society after incarceration. The Home Builders Institute (HBI) is helping make this vision a reality through our Community & Corrections training programs, offering a path to opportunity, economic stability, and dignity for justice-involved individuals.
The Challenge: A Cycle of Incarceration and Missed Opportunity
Too many individuals leaving correctional facilities face the same barriers that led them into the system: lack of education, job training, and stable employment. With few resources and little support, many fall back into old patterns – not because they want to, but because the system gives them no better option. This cycle fuels high recidivism rates, drains public resources, and leaves potential untapped in communities across the country.
The Solution: HBI’s Community & Corrections Training Programs
HBI is breaking that cycle through its nationally recognized Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training (PACT) program. By partnering with correctional institutions, transitional housing centers, and community-based organizations, HBI delivers hands-on, career-building construction training to adults and youth in or exiting the justice system.
Through PACT, students learn in-demand skills for high-growth careers in carpentry, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and more. The training includes classroom education, simulated jobsite experience, life skills coaching, and career services. Graduates leave with nationally transferable, industry-recognized credentials – and a clear path to employment, education, or military service.
HBI consistently surpasses the 80% graduation rate threshold (even in these high-barrier environments), proving that individuals facing incarceration or reentry can succeed in workforce training with the right support.
What Makes HBI’s Approach Different?
- Holistic Support: HBI helps students at every step – assessing readiness, delivering training, placing them in jobs, and providing mentorship.
- Flexible Delivery: Programs can be implemented in correctional institutions, transitional living facilities, or as part of city-based reentry programs.
- Service-Oriented: Students complete service hours, contributing to their communities and building a sense of pride.
- Lifelong Skills: Beyond construction, participants learn teamwork, goal-setting, entrepreneurship, and problem-solving.
The Results: Stronger Cities, Safer Communities
Cities that partner with HBI are seeing measurable outcomes: lower recidivism, higher employment rates, and stronger construction workforces. More importantly, participants find purpose, financial stability, and renewed confidence.
As construction labor shortages grow across the U.S., cities have a unique opportunity to meet workforce demands while reducing incarceration rates and promoting social mobility.
Success Story: From Incarceration to Licensed Electrician
Behind every training program is a story of transformation – and this one is especially inspiring.
Dominique Boddie, a graduate of HBI’s Community & Corrections Sheridan Career Center in Illinois, first learned about the opportunity while incarcerated. With no prior experience in the trades, he enrolled in HBI’s electrical training program, drawn by the chance to build a real career and develop hands-on skills.
Before HBI, he focused on education and physical well-being. But it was the training – and more importantly, the mentorship – that changed his life. He credits his instructor with sparking his desire to master his craft and one day teach others. As he puts it,
“You pay the rent with a job. With a career, you buy a house.”
After graduating from HBI, he relocated across the country and joined a five-year union apprenticeship to become a licensed electrician. Despite the challenges of balancing work and school, he graduated from the program in May 2025 – an accomplishment he’s incredibly proud of.
His advice to others?
“Take those same hands you used to tear down your neighborhood and use them to rebuild your community.”
This is the power of second chances. This is the impact of HBI.
Success Story: A Second Chance Sparks a Bright Future
Through a local reentry program offering HBI Electrical training, a young man seeking a fresh start found the opportunity he needed to turn his life around. Determined to make positive improvements, he enrolled in the program and earned his Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate in Electrical, graduating in January of this year.
His favorite part of the experience?
“The hands-on experience and instruction of the HBI staff.”
Thanks to his dedication and the skills he gained, this graduate is now working full-time as an Electrician Apprentice. He began part-time at $16/hour, but his strong work ethic and training led to a quick promotion to a full-time position.
This success story is proof that with the right support and training, a second chance can lead to a powerful new beginning.
How Cities Can Start a Community & Corrections Program with HBI
As of 2024, HBI operated 14 Community & Corrections programs across the country. Here’s how cities, counties, or institutions can partner with HBI to create free training for careers in building and construction:
- Reach Out to HBI
Contact HBI at community@hbi.org or call 202-371-0600 to express your interest in bringing the Community & Corrections program to your area. - Assess Local Needs
HBI will work with you to assess workforce needs, justice-involved populations, and potential sites (such as correctional institutions, reentry facilities, or community centers). - Collaborate on Funding and Staffing
HBI may collaborate to help identify funding sources (such as federal grants, ARPA funds, or private foundations) and train local staff to implement the program. - Launch and Support
HBI provides curriculum, tools, certification support, job placement strategies, and ongoing program and staff management..
FAQs About HBI’s Community & Corrections Program
Q: What is HBI’s Community & Corrections program?
A: HBI’s Community & Corrections program provides hands-on construction training and career readiness to youth and adults involved in or transitioning out of the justice system. Through its Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training (PACT), participants earn nationally recognized credentials and gain the skills needed to enter the construction workforce.
Q: Who is eligible to participate in the program?
A: Eligibility depends on the specific program site and partnership. Some programs are open to individuals on probation or within a recovery community/program, while other programs are specifically designed for adults or youth residing in a particular facility.
Q: What types of skills are taught?
A: Participants learn skills in trades such as carpentry, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, building construction technology, safety basics, and more. The training also includes soft skills such as goal setting, teamwork, conflict resolution, and workplace readiness.
Q: Are participants guaranteed a job after completing the program?
A: While job placement is not guaranteed, HBI has strong partnerships with employers in the building industry and actively works to place graduates in good-paying jobs. Many graduates are hired immediately after certification or continue on to apprenticeships or additional training.
Q: How can my city or correctional facility start a program?
A: Contact HBI at community@hbi.org or call 202-371-0600 to begin the conversation. HBI will help assess your community’s needs and customize a program model that fits your goals.
Q: How long does the program take to complete?
A: Program length can vary depending on the location and structure; current training programs range from 12 to 24 weeks. Some programs also include post-release support and mentorship.
Q: What makes this program different from other reentry programs?
A: HBI combines hands-on construction training with life skills, certifications, job placement assistance, and mentorship. It’s a holistic, proven model that supports individuals at every stage – from incarceration to full reintegration into the workforce.
A Second Chance. A New Workforce. A Better Community.
Whether you’re a policymaker, corrections leader, or workforce development advocate, you have the power to bring this transformative program to your space. Together with HBI, you can help marginalized youth and adults build futures filled with purpose – and help your community build a stronger, more inclusive economy.
To learn more about HBI’s Community & Corrections programs, visit www.hbi.org.
