When the Lahaina wildfires devastated West Maui, Michael Young, apprenticeship and trades coordinator at the University of �鶹��ý Maui College, not only lost his home but also saw the urgent community need for basic rebuilding skills.

“I grew up in Lahaina and saw how many homes were lost or badly damaged,” Young said. “People wanted to know if there were programs that taught carpentry, framing, roofing, painting—anything that would help them start restoring their homes.”

From that need, the Hale ����貹ʻ�� program—meaning “small shelter”—emerged. The hands-on initiative, based at UH Maui College, builds 8-by-10-foot portable sheds that are small enough to be delivered to landowners without construction permits.

Real relief

These sheds, which double as teaching tools for participants, provide essential storage and, for some, temporary shelter. To date, 58 sheds have been delivered, with 220 households still on a waiting list.

“This is a way for people to feel safe and regain a sense of stability,” said Moani Whittle-Wagner, an academic support specialist who named the project. “Drivers are often greeted with hugs and tears. They’re small structures, but the relief is real.”

An helps ensure Lahaina residents and displaced families have the skills and materials they need to regain a sense of stability. To make a gift, click .

Providing hope

The program offers more than just physical relief; it provides hope for long-term recovery. Lahaina resident Gene Castillo, whose family lost multiple homes, found both skills and a forward focus in the program, recalling the evacuation with his then-pregnant wife and young daughter.

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“Without her,” he said gesturing toward his now two-year-old daughter Zanel, “I think we would have been lost. She gave us something to look forward to.”

Hale ����貹ʻ�� is also rebuilding lives by offering pathways into the trades, bringing together credit courses, union apprenticeships and free community classes. A pre-apprenticeship program with the Carpenters Union reports a 100% placement rate, providing displaced residents with career opportunities.

“These sheds are more than wood and nails,” said Whittle-Wagner. “They’re hope in a time of loss.”

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University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa alumna Kiana Yamat is back at her alma mater. This time, the graduate and Miss �鶹��ý USA 2022 is serving as a project engineer for the construction transformation at the heart of the Mānoa campus.

Yamat runs the office team for Hensel Phelps, the construction company in charge of the Mānoa Mini Master Plan.

She plays a key role managing contracts, ordering materials and handling finances in order to make these major upgrades to McCarthy Mall possible.

“It’s surreal and it’s an honor,” said Yamat. “Using the talent and experience gained from school, we are building something that impacts more than just the campus itself.”

Giving back for future generations

A major part of the project is the construction of a modern building for interdisciplinary learning, which will replace Snyder Hall as the home of the .

Being a part of this opportunity is especially meaningful to Yamat, whose mother is a retired public school teacher with a special education background.

“Knowing that there are people like my mom that will one day influence the whole community, thatʻs a big deal,” said Yamat.

Paving her path

During her time at UH Mānoa, Yamat was grateful for the many resources and partnering programs that the College of Engineering had to offer. It was through the , which she was president of, that Yamat landed her current engineering role.

When Hensel Phelps presented to ASCE at one of their club meetings, it opened her eyes to civil engineering, a path she had not previously considered. Yamat connected with UH alumni at Hensel Phelps, who encouraged her to join the team.

Now, Yamat is on the other end, inspiring future engineers. Her company continues to partner with the ASCE student chapter.

“I want students to realize that no job is too small to be impactful,” said Yamat. “From the interns that we have on site all the way to the higher-ups, all of us are a piece of shaping something the public gets to see.”

—By Josslyn Rose

A free training program is equipping volunteers with the skills needed to help rebuild homes in Lahaina. The Habitat Maui Volunteer Academy, a partnership between the University of �鶹��ý Maui College and Habitat for Humanity Maui, provides five days of hands-on training in carpentry, plumbing and electrical work.

The program addresses the critical skilled labor shortage and fosters community engagement in the rebuilding process. Interested volunteers can register for the . No prior construction experience is required.

Lahaina homes

Since its launch, 21 participants—including Habitat Maui construction team members, community volunteers and AmeriCorps members—have completed the training. These individuals are now prepared to assist in Habitat for Humanity’s reconstruction efforts, which are set to begin soon in Lahaina’s Kahoma neighborhood. Six new homes will be built in an area where 10 previously constructed Habitat homes were lost in the devastating wildfires.

“Since the Volunteer Academy course was designed to support the rebuild, we anticipate seeing participants on our job sites as soon as construction begins,” said Kala Vallecillo, Habitat Maui’s community engagement coordinator. “Many will continue their involvement through H4H Pilina, our long-term volunteer program dedicated to fostering community engagement and skilled volunteerism.”

H4H Pilina provides kama‘aina volunteers with additional support, including childcare services, meals and gas mileage reimbursement. The program will hold weekly meetings from February through May 2025, with plans to expand if successful. Volunteers who wish to gain more skills will have access to the Habitat Maui Volunteer Academy at the start of each session.

Workforce development is one of the UH System �鶹��ý’s four imperatives.

Fifteen Kalaupapa, Molokaʻi residents spent three Wednesdays in September learning skills beneficial to the work they do, thanks to the support and guidance from the . Participants learned how to fix equipment they need to do their jobs with.

“This is the best college class I’ve taken,” said Rose Dudoit, one of the students. “The teacher was awesome. Many of us learn better through hands-on learning as opposed to traditional classroom instruction.”

The trip to Kalaupapa is one that staff members from the take at least once a year to share programming with residents and offer application assistance.

“During these visits we also gather input on what types of education programs they are interested in,” explained UH Maui College Molokaʻi Coordinator Kelley Dudoit. “The employees expressed interest in a hands-on small engine repair course so they can learn how to fix the equipment they work with.”

The residents learned these skills from Construction Technology Program Lecturer Lloyd Inouye. There are so many benefits to the participants in addition to being able to fix their equipment. It upskills the workforce, reduces waste and saves funds by fixing existing equipment rather than buying new.

Participants learn skills that benefit their lives outside of work, maximize their productivity and reduce delays in waiting for equipment to be fixed.

“We were thrilled to be able to offer this class to the workforce in Kalaupapa,” Kelley Dudoit said. “We realize that access to our programs may be difficult because residents spend most of their week in the settlement. It made sense to take the class to them. We’re grateful to the instructor, Lloyd Inouye, for his willingness to travel to the settlement to teach the course. We hope to be able to continue to strengthen our partnership and continue offering classes like these.”

Chancellor Karen Lee wants to blur the lines between academia and industry, such that both employers and students feel welcome on campus and confident that workforce needs for well-paying jobs are being met.

“I would really like that synergy to continue and to thrive,” Lee said. “I would love to invite all employers to join our industry boards. Our advisory boards are essential to our faculty doing a good job in teaching our students for the future.”

Lee became the chancellor of Honolulu CC in December, after serving in an interim role for three years. She presided over the 100th anniversary of the University of �鶹��ý’s oldest community college in 2020.

She began her career at UH in 2001 at UH Mānoa as the undergraduate coordinator at the Shidler College of Business. Lee also served as executive director of �鶹��ý P–20 Partnerships for Education, and UH associate vice president for student affairs and executive assistant to the president.

Enrollment at Honolulu CC is up 3.8% this spring, compared to last spring. According to Lee, Honolulu CC is a place with strong student support and strong teaching in diverse programs that range from trades and construction, cybersecurity, fashion technology, aeronautical maintenance and the liberal arts, to name a few.

“Success looks like a place where a student can dream and realize their dreams, and a place where faculty feel like they’re contributing to those dreams,” Lee said. “We encourage all students—young and old, male and female, out of high school, in high school—to come to Honolulu Community College.”

There are an estimated 22,000 deaths and 7.4 million injuries per year related to construction projects in India, costing the country an estimated $15 billion (USD). A new textbook on construction safety management, co-authored by a University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa professor, is designed to help both construction safety professionals and students learning construction safety management in India, with pertinent concepts for the construction industry around the world.

The textbook by Professor Amarjit Singh explores the following topics:

• Measuring and reporting accidents, as well as their investigation and causes
• Identifying hazards, evaluating risks, implementing effective safety policies and creating appropriate budgets
• Safety acts and regulations, and the responsibilities of stakeholders in ensuring zero accidents

“We all have a moral duty to each other not to allow any other to get hurt,” Singh said. “This often requires awareness, a training protocol, active supervision, continuous job site assessments, a motivation and incentive program, and appropriate contracts and company policies in place. The common person or student often doesn’t realize the hard work necessary to create a safe jobsite. So, this textbook is designed to make students and practitioners aware of the genuine needs of construction workplaces.”

The textbook was published by Pearson (India) and is available for purchase on .

A construction-related scholarship at has been seeded with a $35,000 gift to the University of �鶹��ý Foundation. In November, , the Howard Hughes Corp.’s 60-acre master-planned community, celebrated the topping off of Kōʻula, the neighborhood’s sixth residential building, with a check presentation to Honolulu CC Interim Chancellor Karen C. Lee.

The final steel beam was lifted into place after being signed by representatives from Ward Village, the project’s construction team, Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co., Honolulu CC, the Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters and Studio Gang. In recognition of the construction trades and the individuals on the job site who made achieving the development milestone possible, Ward Village donated $25,000 and Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co. gifted $10,000 to establish the scholarship for students enrolled in program.

“We are grateful to Ward Village and Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co. for their generous gift that will support students as they pursue education, training and career opportunities,” said Lee. “Construction has remained one of the economic bright spots during the pandemic, and we appreciate the investment in developing our local workforce and job pipeline.”

The Apprenticeship and Journey Worker Training program at Honolulu CC provides related instruction and training in various construction and mechanical trades. In addition, the program offers learning opportunities to journey workers to upgrade their skills and obtain job-related certifications.

“The construction industry provides thousands of jobs for �鶹��ý’s economy, and we’re excited to contribute to the development of our workforce,” said Gerry Majkut, president, Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co. “It’s rewarding to reach this project milestone and give back to the programs that help train the professionals who make building a project like Kōʻula possible.”

Kōʻula will feature 565 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom condominium units and was designed by architecture and urban design practice Studio Gang with interiors by design firm Yabu Pushelberg. Kōʻula’s name, which means “red sugar cane” in Hawaiian, was bestowed by Sig Zane Designs.

“We believe in working together with partners—private and public—to drive positive impact in our community and build a resilient future for our state,” said Doug Johnstone, president, �鶹��ý at The Howard Hughes Corp. “With the topping off of Kōʻula, we’re pleased to help further the revitalization of Honolulu’s urban core and strengthen our community in partnership with Hawaiian Dredging Co. and Honolulu Community College.”

With key support from two anonymous donors, matching gifts from Ritchie Mudd and the �鶹��ý Regional Council of Carpenters (HRCC), and many dedicated faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the campus, raised $168,000 in a few months, surpassing its goal of $100,000 by December 31, in honor of the campus’s 100th year anniversary.

“We are so grateful that our 100-year milestone energized our community and resulted in significant new support for our students and faculty,” said Honolulu CC Interim Chancellor Karen C. Lee. “Together, we are building a lasting foundation for innovative projects that will enrich our students’ learning experience and allow them to thrive after graduation.”

$50K for computing, networking

An anonymous friend of the college donated $50,000 to support the , which is in high demand due to the constant changes in technology and cybersecurity. The program’s hands-on learning approach and dedicated faculty prepare students for careers in cyber defense, computing, security, telecommunications and networking. This gift will ensure that the program remains on the cutting-edge and graduates are well-prepared for the workforce.

Founded in 1920, Honolulu CC is the oldest community college in �鶹��ý with a strong liberal arts program enabling students to seamlessly transfer to a four-year university, plus more than 20 career and technical education programs in a wide-range of in-demand fields. The college also offers a number of non-credit programs, including the , and hosts the largest program in the state.

Construction industry support

Ritchie Mudd, a local construction industry veteran and long-time supporter of Honolulu CC, established a new Honolulu CC Building and Construction Trades Fund.

“I’m honored to support Honolulu CC faculty and staff with access to state-of-the-art equipment, innovative projects, scholarship and professional development opportunities in the building and construction trade programs,” said Mudd. “We need to support our local students so they can get educated here and stay in �鶹��ý.”

HRCC generously supported , which was created in honor of the campus’s centennial anniversary.

“The construction industry is one of the state’s top economic drivers, and the community college system is critical to providing the continuous pipeline of skilled craftsmen and women needed to meet the challenges of this essential and ever-changing industry. It is important for us to fully support Honolulu CC and the educators of the future construction workforce,” said Ronald Taketa, HRCC executive secretary-treasurer.

Over the past 100 years, Honolulu CC has transformed thousands of lives by awarding tens of thousands of degrees and certificates, and offering a vast array of non-credit and apprenticeship courses. Through it all, its mission to provide accessible and high-quality educational and training opportunities to current and future generations of �鶹��ý is unwavering.

The Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) has selected Assistant Professor Norman Takeya as one of two recipients for the 2020 Mark Hasso Educator of the Year Award. This annual award recognizes excellence in construction management practices and honors individuals based on merit.

After earning his degree and working in the construction industry, the Hilo native joined Honolulu CC in 2006, first in the then transitioned to grow the (AEC) program. Takeya has led AEC students to national competitions all over the U.S. in addition to receiving numerous awards locally from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Residential Construction Management Competition. He received the 2015 UH Board of Regents Excellence in Teaching Award and, in 2016, the Outstanding Educator award from NAHB. Takeya is also a well-known master ʻukulele maker and instructor.

“I am extremely honored to receive this award, but it’s really been a privilege to teach and mentor the AEC students over the past 10 years,” said Takeya. “The local businesses should also be recognized in this award because they frequently refer students to the program, provide internship opportunities, and hire and promote AEC graduates.”

Karen Lee, Honolulu CC interim chancellor said, “Norman is always encouraging students to learn and excel with the newest technologies, and graduates are being rewarded with very lucrative jobs. We are thrilled that CMAA recognized his many outstanding contributions to our students and the construction industry.”

CMAA is dedicated to improving the nation’s infrastructure by advancing professional construction and program management worldwide. Award winners will be honored during , in October.

“Each of our award winners work hard to make a difference, and we commend each of them for their achievements and contributions to the construction industry,” CMAA president and CEO Andrea S. Rutledge .

The newest (UHERO) construction forecast indicates that �鶹��ý construction activity continues at a healthy pace, with a modest pickup over the past year. New and pending projects, particularly high-rise residential building on Oʻahu, will sustain construction employment near its current level for the next several years. Planned large-scale public sector projects will provide additional support. The primary risk to this forecast is a falloff in demand that could come from weakening local and global economic conditions.

Number of building permits issued has fallen

The number of issued building permits has fallen off this year. However, this reflects in part delays in Honolulu permitting.

Large number of Oʻahu condominium projects underway

There are a large number of condominium projects underway on Oʻahu or planned for groundbreaking, centered in Kakaʻako and near Ala Moana Center. Affordable housing is an important piece of this activity.

Home resale markets soften

Home resale markets have softened over the past year, with a decline in resale volume on all islands. This is putting downward pressure on resale prices in most markets.

Resort construction focused on large renovation projects

Large renovation projects and a few new towers are the focus of resort construction. The bulk of this activity is in Waikīkī, although major resort renovations are also underway on Maui and the Big Island. New hotel projects on Kauaʻi have been stalled for now by financing difficulties.

Upgrades and incremental additions to be focus of retail space expansions

The past five years have seen a considerable expansion of retail space, despite the structural challenges from online shopping.

Considerable projects forthcoming in public sector construction

Despite a steep falloff in government contracts awarded this year, there is considerable forthcoming public sector construction. The largest projects are on Oʻahu, including rail transit, planned redevelopments of Aloha Stadium and the Neal S. Blaisdell Center, and the expansion and updating of facilities at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.

Enforcement on vacation rentals bring uncertainty

An uncertainty that has been added to the mix is the City and County of Honolulu’s crackdown on transient vacation rentals. The new enforcement actions have already reduced the available stock of visitor accommodations, which may support resort-related development.

Outlook is favorable but not immune

While the outlook remains favorable for continued construction near current levels, the industry is not immune to adverse economic developments here or beyond our shores. The weakening local economy could undercut local demand, and the global slowdown is a concern for offshore demand and project funding. At the same time, lower interest rates are a clear positive, as is the resilience so far of U.S. consumer spending.

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