Orlando, FL — September 18, 2025 — Team Rubicon, in partnership with the Home Builders Institute (HBI), is launching a new pilot program in Orlando designed to help veterans and other community members launch careers in the skilled trades. This initiative combines Team Rubicon’s disaster response expertise with HBI’s industry-leading training, to deliver hands-on learning that prepares participants for real-world impact.
The program is open to all, with a special invitation to Team Rubicon’s Greyshirt volunteers.
“We’re proud to partner with Team Rubicon to expand access to skilled trades training for veterans and communities impacted by disaster recovery. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to resilience—both in the homes we build and the lives we help rebuild. Through this program, HBI will deliver hands-on training aligned with industry needs, preparing individuals for meaningful careers in construction and helping to close the labor gap in our industry”, said HBI President and CEO Ed Brady.
Participants in this new program will receive nine weeks of free, hands-on training in Fortified Carpentry and Roofing, earn an OSHA-10 certification, and benefit from job placement support upon graduation, all at no cost to the individual. The program runs from September 22 to November 21, 2025, at the Orlando HBI BuildStrong Academy.
“This program is more than just skills training. It’s a pathway into a high-demand, well-paying industry that helps communities build long-term resilience,” said Jim Brooks, Team Rubicon CEO.
Team Rubicon’s Workforce Development (WFD) program addresses a national shortage of credentialed contractors and the growing need for resilient building practices, especially in communities vulnerable to natural hazards. Through no-cost training, personalized career counseling, and job placement assistance, WFD helps participants overcome barriers to employment and build sustainable futures.
ABOUT TEAM RUBICON: Team Rubicon is a veteran-led humanitarian organization that serves global communities before, during, and after disasters and crises. Founded following the Haiti earthquake in 2010, the organization has grown to more than 200,000 volunteers across the United States and has launched over 1,200 operations domestically and internationally. To drive equity across disaster and humanitarian services, Team Rubicon focuses on three areas of impact: disaster response- from mitigation to immediate response to recovery; long term recovery & workforce development — maintaining the fabric of communities through resilient building methods; and medical services — providing emergent and surge health care, WASH, and disaster risk reduction. The organization is featured in the Roku original series titled Team Rubicon, which highlights the work of Greyshirt volunteers assisting communities across the country. Visit http://www.teamrubiconusa.org for more information.
ABOUT HBI: HBI is the nation’s leading nonprofit provider of trade skills training in residential construction. Through the organization’s industry-recognized curriculum, HBI trains in a variety of skills including, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, building construction technology, HVAC, and masonry. In programs across the country, HBI provides preapprenticeship training and certification programs. The goals for all HBI programs is to train, credential and place students in industry-related employment or post-secondary education. These metrics, however, fall within the overarching goal we have for all those we serve – to provide individuals an opportunity to take control of their lives and become productive, self-sufficient citizens. For more information, visit hbi.org.
For media inquiries or to schedule interviews, please contact:
Chris Spurgin
christopher.spurgin@teamrubiconusa.org
765.273.3321