A housing crisis can’t be solved without the people to build homes. Washington is currently short more than 225,000 housing units, and the solution starts with training the workforce who can construct them. That’s where South Puget Sound Community College’s (SPSCC) new Residential Construction Academy comes in. In partnership with the Olympia Master Builders (OMB) Foundation and United Way of Thurston County (UWTC), the Academy is equipping students with hands-on skills that lead directly to family-wage jobs—while helping our region meet the urgent demand for housing.
The Residential Construction Academy is a 10-week certification program at SPSCC that combines classroom instruction with practical, on-the-job training. Its first cohort launched June 30, 2025, and is already preparing students for family-sustaining careers in an industry desperate for skilled workers. OMB reports that for every 12 workers who leave construction, only five enter the field. The shortage is felt across the South Sound, where contractors are eager for new talent who can help build the homes families need.
Daimon Doyle, one of two instructors for the program, has more than 30 years of experience in residential construction and teaching. He says students dive in almost immediately: “While our focus will be on building and assembling modules to learn the necessary skills, we plan to culminate with a playhouse that we will donate to a local daycare facility.” The project may be small, but it symbolizes something larger—students learning to build structures that strengthen families and communities.
The Academy uses the Home Builders Institute (HBI) curriculum, one of only three programs recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor for covering all facets of residential construction. Students earn a Pre-Apprentice Certificate Training (PACT) that includes safety, construction math, plan reading, tool and material identification, and employability skills. Thanks to tuition assistance and seed funding from United Way and OMB, students also have access to the tools and resources they need to succeed.
For the students, the experience is already paying off. For Logan Burbank, the program has provided a window into how homes come together. For Miles Pfenning, it opened doors to career pathways he hadn’t considered. Others, like Ozzie Lamb and Aidan Anderson, see the certificate as a way to prove their skills and boost credibility with employers. Across the board, participants say the hands-on training, blueprint reading, and teamwork have been highlights.
“When I got into residential construction more than three decades ago, I had no idea it would become my lifelong career and livelihood,” Doyle reflects. “Not only have I had the opportunity to build hundreds of homes for families and generations to come, it has been both financially and emotionally rewarding. This program ensures more people will have that same opportunity—and our community will have more homes to show for it.”
Plans are already underway for a second cohort beginning on September 29, 2025, with additional sessions to follow in winter and spring.
By equipping students with in-demand construction skills, the Residential Construction Academy isn’t just creating career pathways—it’s helping build the workforce needed to close Washington’s housing gap. For information about current and future sessions, visit click here.