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Build Skills. Change Lives. Strengthen Communities.

How HBI’s Community & Corrections Programs Create Second Chances and Stronger Workforce Pipelines

Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a career, contribute to their community, and thrive – no matter their past.

For more than 50 years, the Home Builders Institute (HBI) has prepared individuals for successful careers in the skilled trades. Through HBI’s Community & Corrections programs, justice-involved youth and adults receive hands-on training, career coaching, and nationally recognized credentials that open doors to meaningful, long-term employment.  

By creating pathways to opportunity, HBI helps individuals rebuild their lives while strengthening communities and addressing America’s growing construction workforce shortage.

A Proven Path to Workforce Readiness

HBI’s Community & Corrections programs are designed to meet real workforce needs while creating life-changing opportunities.

Operating in both correctional facilities and community settings, these programs equip participants with the technical skills, credentials, and support needed to succeed from day one on the job.

Participants benefit from:

  • Hands-on construction training in high-demand trades
  • Industry-recognized, portable certifications
  • Career coaching and job placement support
  • Mentorship and service-based learning opportunities

Programs serve:

  • Justice-involved youth
  • Adults preparing for reentry
  • Individuals on probation
  • Residential treatment participants
  • Alternative education students
  • Underserved populations seeking a career pathway

HBI’s approach is built around one goal: helping people transform their lives through meaningful work.  

America’s Skilled Trades Need More Workers

  • Nearly 723,000 new construction workers are needed annually to meet demand.
  • Skilled labor shortages affect communities nationwide.
  • Community and corrections programs help connect motivated individuals with meaningful careers while helping employers fill critical workforce gaps.

Bring HBI to Your Community visit hbi.org/partners

Skilled Trades Build More Than Structures

Construction careers offer:

  • Competitive wages
  • Apprenticeship opportunities
  • Career advancement
  • Entrepreneurial pathways
  • Portable skills
  • Job stability

Many graduates go on to become supervisors, business owners, mentors, and community and industry leaders.

Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training (PACT)

At the center of HBI’s Community & Corrections initiatives is its nationally recognized Pre-Apprenticeship Certificate Training (PACT) program.

Learn more about HBI’s PACT curriculum

Participants can receive training in:

  • Carpentry
  • Electrical
  • Plumbing
  • Masonry
  • Building Construction Technology

Additional benefits include:

  • OSHA-10 safety certification
  • Simulated jobsite experiences
  • Workplace readiness skills
  • Communication and teamwork training
  • Goal-setting and career planning
  • Mentorship and job placement assistance

Flexible Program Format

HBI programs are adaptable to local needs and typically run 8 to 24 weeks. Programs can operate in:

  • Correctional facilities
  • Community organizations
  • Workforce development centers
  • Alternative education environments

Through HBI’s national network, graduates are connected directly to employers seeking skilled workers.  

Empowering Individuals to Build Careers

HBI programs do much more than teach construction skills.

They help participants build confidence, purpose, and a vision for the future.

Graduates gain:

  • Marketable, in-demand skills
  • Industry-recognized credentials
  • Greater self-confidence
  • Access to apprenticeships and careers
  • Ongoing support and mentorship

The objective is not simply employment – it is long-term career success.  

Strengthening Communities Through Opportunity

Successful reentry and workforce development benefit everyone.

Research consistently shows that employment is one of the most important factors in reducing recidivism and improving long-term outcomes.  

By providing career pathways, HBI programs can contribute to:

  • Improved employment opportunities following release
  • Greater economic stability for participants and their families
  • Reduced barriers to successful reentry
  • Stronger connections between local employers and skilled workers
  • More stable and resilient communities

The National Reentry Resource Center notes that Second Chance Act programs have helped reduce recidivism while improving community outcomes.  

When motivated individuals gain access to careers, entire communities benefit.

From Second Chance to Career Success

Opportunity changes lives.

While incarcerated, Dominique enrolled in HBI’s electrical training program. After graduating, he completed a five-year apprenticeship and became a licensed electrician.

Today, he mentors others and demonstrates the power of career-focused training.

“You pay rent with a job. With a career, you buy a house.”

His journey represents what HBI strives to create every day – pathways to independence, stability, and hope.

Why Organizations Partner With HBI

HBI works with:

  • State agencies
  • Workforce boards
  • Community organizations
  • Reentry providers
  • Educational institutions
  • Employers and industry leaders

Organizations choose HBI because of its:

Proven Training Model

HBI has trained more than 165,000 individuals and operates programs across nearly every state.  

Flexible Program Delivery

Programs are tailored to specific populations and settings.

Industry Alignment

Training reflects real workforce demands and connects participants to employers.

Measurable Outcomes

Organizations gain a scalable solution that supports funding objectives and community impact.

Whether serving justice-involved individuals, at-risk youth, or underserved populations, HBI provides a turnkey workforce development solution.

Bring HBI to Your Community visit hbi.org/partners

Building More Than Careers

America’s construction industry needs skilled workers. Communities need pathways to opportunity. Individuals deserve a second chance.

HBI’s Community & Corrections programs bring those needs together.

By investing in people, we help strengthen families, support successful reentry, and prepare individuals to contribute to the workforce.

Because changing one life can strengthen an entire community.

FAQs About HBI

Who can participate in HBI Community & Corrections programs?

Individuals participate through HBI training programs established in partnership with correctional facilities, rehabilitation and treatment centers, government agencies, workforce organizations, and community-based nonprofits. Eligibility and enrollment are determined locally by the organization operating or referring participants to the program.

What trades are taught through HBI?

Trade offerings vary by program and are determined in collaboration with each local partner based on participant needs, workforce demand, available facilities, and program resources. Depending on the location, training may include carpentry, electrical, plumbing, masonry, or building construction technology.

How long are the programs?

Most programs range from 8 to 24 weeks and can be adapted to meet community needs.

Do participants earn certifications?

Participants may earn industry-recognized credentials based on the program’s curriculum and successful completion requirements. Depending on the location, these may include OSHA-10 and HBI PACT certifications that are recognized across the country.

Can organizations partner with HBI?

Yes. HBI works with a wide range of public, private, and nonprofit partners to develop workforce training programs that reflect local needs and opportunities. Partners may include government agencies, correctional and rehabilitation facilities, workforce organizations, employers, educational institutions, foundations, and community-based organizations.

Bring HBI to Your Community

Communities are stronger when people have the opportunity to build meaningful careers.

Whether you’re a corrections agency, workforce board, nonprofit organization, employer, or community leader, HBI can help you create pathways to employment and lasting success.

Together, we can build skills, change lives, and strengthen communities.

📩 Contact HBI today: visit hbi.org/partners

Learn more:

Partner with HBI and help create the next generation of skilled professionals while transforming lives through opportunity.

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MARIO GONZALEZ

Vice President of Workforce Training & Employment

Mario joined HBI as a Regional Career Development Coordinator of HBI’s Military Services in 2019 and was promoted to Associate Vice President of WTE Community & Corrections Programs in 2022.
Now serving as Vice president of WTE (2024), he oversees the daily operations of HBI’s WTE Community & Corrections, Military Services, & Academies programs, working with partners to advance HBI’s expansion and enhance job placement opportunities for graduates. Mario serves as the liaison between HBI and external stakeholders to include military installations. He ensures successful outcomes for HBI graduates from transitioning service members & veterans to justice involved adults & youths. Internally, he provides strategic operational perspective to HBI’s senior leadership team. Prior to joining HBI, Mario served for 21 years in the U.S. Army across multiple locations globally & nationally and has an MBA from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN. Mario resides in Tennessee with his wife and children and spends time in Texas where his mother, adult children, and grandchildren reside. He enjoys the outdoors and serving in his community. 
JOSEPH F. LANDERS

Executive Officer of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Massachusetts

Joseph F. Landers, 71, is the Executive Officer of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Massachusetts having assumed that role in 2018 with a mandate from the Board of Directors to harmonize the five MA local associations, increase communications from the state to the membership, increase the public profile of the association,

create a path to financial stability and elevate the states lobbying efforts. Prior to taking on the challenging state association role, Joe was Chief Executive Officer and founder of Customized Structures Inc., a custom manufacturer of single-family, multi-family and commercial modular and panelized structures which began operations in 1984. Joe has been involved in the building industry, both site-built and factory-built, since 1973 and has worked in all phases of construction from development through design and production including on site management and sales. Customized Structures produced on average 330 single family homes per year, had an employee base as high as 180 and was known as the innovator in the production and design of modular components.

After the sale of Customized Structures Inc. to a private equity firm in 2003 Joe remained on the Board of Directors of the Company and functioned as a consultant to the CEO. He further took on the role of helping failing building systems companies return to profitability and successfully oversaw the sale of those companies. Mr. Landers has lectured frequently on the benefits and utilization of systems-built construction to building professionals around the country and has utilized his substantial professional and industry background to provide consultation services to both national and foreign companies interested in the processes and pitfalls of building and developing utilizing building systems components.

Joe attended Northeastern University and St. Anselm’s College graduating with a B.S. in 1972. 

Joe has been a member of the National Association of Home Builders since 1974. He is past president of two local Home Builders Associations and has served two terms as President of the  State of NH Home Builders Association. Joe is also a past president of the Modular Building  Systems Council of the NAHB, has been Chairman of the National Building Systems Council (BSC)  and has served five terms as a Trustee of the BSC during which time he created the BSC logo and  wrote the brochure “Most Frequently Asked Questions about Modular Homes”. 

In 1989, Joe received the National Pacesetter Award in recognition of his outstanding leadership  and contribution to the housing industry and in 1991 was awarded the title of Builder of the Year  by the Home Builders Association of N.H. In 1992 he was appointed by the Governor to the NH  Board of Fire Control within the Department of Safety and since then was reappointed three times.  He has served as a member on the State of New Hampshire Building Code Review Board and was  appointed by the Governor of NH to the Shore Land Protection Commission. Joe was selected to  receive the 2000 S. A. Walters Chairman’s Award, the premier award in the U.S. Systems Built  Housing Industry and was installed to the New Hampshire Housing Hall of Fame for his significant  and lasting contributions to the housing industry in the State of New Hampshire.  

Joe is a Senior Life Director of the National Association of Home Builders; he is served six terms on the NAHB Budget & Finance Committee serving as Vice Chair for four of those years, he has served  as Chairman of the Resolutions Committee, the International Housing Committee and the Building  Products Issues Committee of NAHB serving on the NAHB Executive Committee multiple times. 

In 2001 Joe was elected an Area Vice President of the National Association of Home Builders  representing builders through out the northeast. 

Joe is active in his community having served as finance chairmen of his church, is a member of the  International Order of Odd Fellows, and has served on multiple boards and committees on a  volunteer basis.  

Joe and his wife, Denise, reside in Plymouth, MA, they have two children, Jessica and Brad and two  grandchildren, Lily and Jack ages 13 and 11. 

Seth Appleton

President of U.S. Mortgage Insurers

The Honorable Seth Appleton is President of U.S. Mortgage Insurers. In this role, he leads USMI’s efforts to enable sustainable access to affordable mortgage credit for borrowers while protecting taxpayers. Seth previously served as President of MISMO, the real estate finance industry’s standards organization. Prior to that, Seth served as the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research at the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),
a position for which he was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate. In addition to his service as Assistant Secretary, Seth concurrently served as the Principal Executive Vice President of Ginnie Mae, a government corporation guaranteeing the timely payment of
principal and interest on more than $2 trillion in mortgage-backed securities.

Before joining HUD, Seth worked on Capitol Hill, including serving as Chief of Staff for U.S. Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer for more than eight years. A native of Missouri, Seth is a graduate of Stanford University and is a co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Housing Council. 

Zach Harris

BuildStrong Academy of Greater New Orleans Graduate

Zach Harris is a native New Orleans resident, two-time graduate of Tulane University and a 27-year-old construction entrepreneur. Zach comes from a family of builders and grew up around real estate and residential construction. In fact, Zach enrolled in no-cost trades training at the BuildStrong Academy of Greater New Orleans with his mother in 2022, followed by his father and two brothers in 2023.

Zach Harris - HBI Build Strong Academy New Orleans Graduate

His construction company, Zach the Builder, crafts safer New Orleans homes via reliable roofing services. “The Academy classes cater to different experience levels and different interests. I had the construction business experience but needed to understand the craft,” says Zach. “You can’t be a great coach if you haven’t played football before.”

Outside of running his company, Zach enjoys using his in-demand skill set to give back to the community. To commemorate Memorial Day 2023, Zach and other students and graduates from BSA Greater New Orleans volunteered to help build a home for a veteran in the Lower 9th Ward.

2023 MVP Class Schedule
2023 MVP Class Schedule - HVAC