New home building training program celebrates first graduating class

South Puget Sound Community College, the Olympia Master Builders Foundation, and United Way of Thurston County celebrated the first graduates of a new, collaborative Residential Construction Academy on Wednesday afternoon.

The Residential Construction Academy was created to help address Washington’s need for housing as well as its shortage of home building workers. Through this new partnership, organizers say the program provides hands-on training that equips participants with skills and opens pathways to good-paying jobs.

At the graduation event at SPSCC’s Lacey campus, the three organizations and the seven graduates gathered to celebrate the success of the academy and to recognize the accomplishments of its inaugural class.

The graduates completed 13 weeks of training that included safety protocols, construction math, green building concepts and carpentry skill development.

Those interested in being part of the next group of students in the program can sign up on the SPSCC website. The next session will last 10 weeks.

To be eligible for hire in this industry, participants must have a valid Washington state driver’s license and reliable transportation; the ability to lift 60 pounds; a willingness to climb ladders and work at heights; and the ability to hear instructions, machinery signals and safety alerts in a noisy construction environment.

This story was originally published September 11, 2025 at 12:39 PM.