HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The North Alabama Homebuilding Academy (NAHA) has been selected as a recipient of the 2021 AlabamaWorks! Innovator Award.
The award was presented by Governor Ivey and Deputy Secretary of Commerce Ed Castile during a virtual conference on September 22.
“It’s such an honor to be recognized as one of the most innovative workforce development programs in the state” Executive Officer of the Huntsville Madison County Builders Association, Barry Oxley said. “We started NAHA 18 months ago because we were tired of doing the same workforce development things and seeing no real results.”
During the presentation of this award, both Governor Ivey and Deputy Secretary of Commerce Ed Castile acknowledged the growing challenges and innovative solutions needed to meet the workforce demands for the State of Alabama. “The State of Alabama is relying on those who are leading the charge by implementing innovative solutions in their cities, counties and regions to further economic and workforce development” Governor Ivey said.
NAHA is a non-profit organization that provides hands-on, short-term programs to individuals seeking to enter the residential construction industry. Since NAHA launched in January of 2020, the program has graduated over 160 students, of which, over 90% are currently employed in the industry.
In a matter of weeks, participants can attend the program at no cost, learn the basic skills needed to enter the residential construction industry, and participate in a hiring fair.
For students to be eligible to attend NAHA classes, they must be 18 years old, pass a drug screening, and be legally authorized to work in the U.S.
To learn more visit NAHA's website.