Students enrolled in Northland Pioneer College’s (NPC) construction program will be building homes and valuable job skills at NPC’s Holbrook, St. Johns, and Whiteriver locations this upcoming school year. In Holbrook and St. Johns, students will erect custom site-built homes, and in Whiteriver, students will be assembling tiny homes. What’s more, all NPC construction courses are free, with no tuition, media, or course fees, meaning zero out-of-pocket costs to students through the fall 2025 and spring 2026 semesters.
All students are welcome, including adult learners. Anyone who participates in these construction programs will also receive personal protective equipment and the basic tools needed to complete the builds courtesy of grant funding made possible by the Northern Arizona Good Jobs Network and Local First Arizona.
On June 17, members of the Navajo County District Governing Board joined local dignitaries, business partners, and NPC administration and staff for a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of what will be a new custom home manufactured by students enrolled in classes at NPC’s Holbrook location. The new site-built home will be located at 154 W. California Street.
NPC is also launching a similar site-built housing project in St. Johns thanks to the grant funding made available through the Northern Arizona Good Jobs Network. In partnership with Local First Arizona, this will allow the college to expand its program into locations in Apache County.
“This is an opportunity for students to work from start to finish on a home, learn hands-on skills and see their efforts progress into a complete structure,” said NPC Faculty in Construction Jorge Meza, who will guide students through the homebuilding process. “We will work with everything from masonry and concrete systems to framing, roofing, thermal, and moisture protection, as well as electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems,” he said. “Everything from the foundation to the cabinets and light fixtures will be the handywork of NPC students.”
These skills, along with state-of-the-art hardware and tools, set the bar for construction graduates to be successful on the job following program completion. Effective communication and job success strategies are also developed throughout the program. After completing the requirements of NPC’s construction program, students receive their OSHA-10 certificates and NCCER (National Center for Construction Education and Research) certificates, making them employable nationwide.
“This project is a win for everyone involved,” Meza explained. With zero out-of-pocket costs, NPC students obtain real-world experience and credentials that can fast-track them to new and life-long employable careers. What’s more, the city of Holbrook gains tax revenue and another place for a family to live. “The construction of this home demonstrates how NPC is serving the community,” Meza says. “Our students learn tangible hands-on job training skills they can use to better their lives, and in the process, the community benefits from their success.”
In addition to the custom homes in Holbrook and St. Johns, after a brief hiatus, NPC is revitalizing the college’s construction program at the college’s Whiteriver center. Students enrolled in construction classes at the center will be fabricating tiny homes. The structures will eventually be placed at the Northeast Arizona Training Center (NATC) in Taylor, AZ. They will house police academy recruits working to complete the twenty-one-week training academy at the facility. Fire and police personnel from around the state who come to the facility for ongoing and recertification classes will have a place to stay as they train. “This is a significant cost savings for agencies from throughout our service area and around the state to send recruits to the academy,” states Meza. “With limited housing and high rental prices in our area, the recruits and their sponsoring agencies can better afford the training.”
“NPC is ready to graduate students and fill the market demand,” says Meza. “Our program has a real impact on local communities. We often see disadvantaged students who have had a rough time in their lives and do not have much of a support system. This program has truly turned their lives around. I am genuinely proud of all of my students’ accomplishments and of being able to give them a purpose and a career. NPC is building futures, with nails and screws, for communities and students, from the ground up.”
Fall semester classes begin August 18. To register, visit any NPC location and speak to an academic advisor. For more information on the construction programs offered at each location, contact NPC Faculty in Construction, Jorge Mesa, for the Holbrook site-build at (928) 524-7456 or email Jorge.Meza@npc.edu. For St. Johns program details, contact NPC Dean of Career and Technical Education, Dr. Jeremy Raisor, at (928) 536-6231 or email Jeremy.Raisor@npc.edu. For the tiny homes in Whiteriver, contact NPC Faculty in Construction, Aaron Prestwich at (928) 243-4110 or email Aaron.Prestwich@npc.edu.
