Collaboration connects PEPA’s industry training and certification resources with BTF’s national workforce network, JobsToBuild.com, and hiring events across 27 markets.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Building Talent Foundation (BTF) and the Polymeric Exterior Products Association (PEPA) today announced a new partnership to help address the shortage of qualified vinyl siding and polymeric exterior products installation talent in residential construction.
The collaboration brings together PEPA’s industry training and certification resources with BTF’s national workforce infrastructure, including JobsToBuild.com, more than 36,000 registered construction job seekers, more than 2,500 community and training partners, more than 3,600 employer partners, and hiring events across 27 markets.
Together, BTF and PEPA will work to expand awareness of installation career opportunities, help more job seekers pursue industry-recognized training, and connect PEPA member companies and their contractor networks with candidates interested in residential construction careers.
As part of the partnership, PEPA will make curriculum and resources from its VSI Certified Installer Program for vinyl siding installation available to BTF’s national network of community and training partners. The goal is to help more job seekers gain exposure to industry-recognized installation training and help employers reach candidates who are better prepared for exterior products careers.
PEPA members, including manufacturers, distributors, dealers, suppliers, installers, builders, and contractor networks, will also receive no-cost access to JobsToBuild.com, BTF’s national career platform. Members can use the platform to post open roles, search candidates, and connect with job seekers interested in construction careers. They will also be invited to participate in BTF hiring events across 27 markets, giving employers direct access to local candidate pipelines.
“Our members see every day how important skilled installation talent is to the future of the polymeric exterior building products industry,” said Kate Offringa, President and CEO of PEPA. “By working with Building Talent Foundation, we can bring PEPA’s training and certification resources into a broader workforce network and help more people discover career pathways in vinyl siding and exterior products installation.”
BTF’s candidate network includes opportunity youth, veterans, women, returning citizens, and other groups historically underrepresented in construction careers. BTF works with employers, training providers, and community partners to prepare and connect these job seekers to career opportunities in residential construction.
“The exterior products industry needs more qualified installation talent, and that requires coordinated action from industry, training partners, and employers,” said Branka Minic, CEO of Building Talent Foundation. “This partnership combines PEPA’s VSI certification resources with BTF’s job seeker, training partner, and employer networks to help more candidates pursue vinyl siding installation training and connect with companies that need talent.”
Under the partnership, BTF will provide PEPA members with a dedicated JobsToBuild.com landing page, employer onboarding support, technical assistance, and user guidance for companies registering on the platform. BTF and PEPA will also collaborate on targeted outreach and share performance metrics related to employer engagement and candidate activity.
The organizations will also work together to promote careers in exterior products, including webinars, newsletters, email outreach, website features, and direct communications to PEPA members and industry partners.
About Building Talent Foundation
Building Talent Foundation is a national nonprofit organization working to advance the education, training, and career progression of young people and people from underrepresented groups as skilled technical workers and business owners in residential construction. BTF connects job seekers, training providers, and employers through market-based workforce solutions and its national career platform, JobsToBuild.com.
About the Polymeric Exterior Products Association
The Polymeric Exterior Products Association (PEPA) is the trade association representing the wide range of polymeric exterior building products used to build resilient, beautiful home exteriors across North America. PEPA works to create more relevance, value, and impact for polymeric exterior products across the value chain. By uniting members across the category, PEPA promotes the benefits of polymeric products to the homebuilding industry and supports workforce development, training, certification, advocacy, and industry advancement.
Media Contacts
Building Talent Foundation
Branka Minic
Chief Executive Officer
branka.minic@buildingtf.org
(305) 491-7368
Polymeric Exterior Products Association
Kate Offringa
President & CEO
koffringa@polymericexteriors.org