HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The North Alabama Homebuilding Academy announced they've graduated over 200 students in the 20th graduating class.
NAHA is a nonprofit that provides hands-on, short-term training to individuals seeking to enter into the residential construction industry.
A bachelor's degree doesn't automatically guarantee a job. Many high school students in Alabama do not wish to attend a four-year university and NAHA provides a way around that. Students graduate with job offers lined up, and a solid way to make a decent living. The program is free to those over age 18 looking to join a trade industry.
The President of Durham Service Company Larry Durham explained, "We offer four trade specifics here which includes carpentry, HVAC, plumbing and gas piping and electrical. So when you come into the school, you'll go through the basic core and that's tape measure reading, blueprint reading and that's the basic construction math. Your Safety Six program that we cover for the state of Alabama, our guys or ladies receive a certificate once we complete that, and then we go into what we call trade specific training for four major trades which includes carpentry, HVAC, plumbing and gas piping, and electrical.
33-year-old Joseph Comes is a graduate of NAHA. He was a part of the second graduating class in 2020.
"A career change in the middle of a pandemic was a little crazy but I always wanted to get into the trades and this was a perfect opportunity to get that foot into the door," Comes said.
The North Alabama Home Building Academy also hosts camps for kids and young adults.