The Home Builders Institute recognizes educational institutions and industry training programs as “credentialed” that meet certain criteria associated with the Residential Construction Academy Series. Credentialing enables those institutions and training programs to offer students access to the program’s online National Registry. In turn, it also allows the Home Builders Institute to match the academic institution with local Home Builder Associations across the U.S. to provide industry connections where available.

HBI is in the process of further advancing the utility of the RCA Series by implementing industry certification requirements for instructors and students. As such, students and instructors must be certified in order to apply for and remain credentialed after June of 2010. Student certification will be implemented for the 2009/2010 school year, while instructor certification will be available Fall 2009. For more information on instructor certification, click here or contact HBI.

All education and training programs utilizing the new skill standards and Residential Construction Academy materials are eligible for program review and credentialing. Program credentialing will occur after the following six criteria are met:

1. Training program utilizes NAHB's Residential Construction Skill Standards

2. Training program purchases and teaches with RCA Series materials

3. Instructors certified by HBI/NAHB through the Ohio State University certification program

4. Students take industry-approved online tests

5. HBI receives and reviews one or more of the following for program validation: lesson plans, course description, syllabi, or other official type of course outline

6. HBI receives and approves the completed Application for Credentialing

This program, will help provide welcomed assistance to instructors challenged with developing curricula that bridges the gap between industry know-how and 21st century workplace skills.

Credentialing through the Home Builders Association and National Association of Home Builders provides many benefits to educational programs and their students. These include:

1. Industry-developed standards by which employers can evaluate potential employees who have completed courses or training programs

2. Consistent curriculum and resource tools for programs that may have rotating faculty

3. High visibility of students and program, through NAHB's website, list of credentialed programs, and events involving industry businesses

4. Ability for students and instructors to network with local industry businesses

5. A faculty relationship with a local National Association of Home Builders chapter.

6. Students completing courses in credentialed programs are listed on National Registry and can post their resume on NAHB's Building Careers Job Bank.

Upon completion and approval of this Application, instructors or training directors will receive a credentialing packet, which includes:

a. Credentialed Program certificate for department

b. Information about National Registry and NAHB Job Bank, to distribute to students

c. Program Completion certificates for students.

d. Contact information for local Home Builders Association for networking purposes if appropriate

Questions about Program Credentialing?
Email:Laura Bray at lbray@hbi.org.