Arkansas is growing, and so are the demands on the places and infrastructure that serve it. From 2020 to 2025, the U.S. Census Bureau reported the state’s population grew 3.4% — higher than the national average. 

To support that significant growth, communities across the state have invested in building and infrastructure projects, from new education facilities to upgraded hospitals to improvements along high-traffic roadways. 

The challenge? The construction industry’s workforce shortage.

The shortage is nothing new. For years, the industry has had to fulfill additional hiring needs to meet rising construction demands. An aging workforce, low retention rate, and a lack of entry-level knowledge about skilled trades have contributed to recruitment difficulties across the industry.

To address this challenge head-on, Nabholz — a Conway-based multiservice contractor — has focused on individual employee growth through a catalog of training programs called Nabholz University. 

Nabholz University was started in 1973 with the company’s Carpentry Apprenticeship Program, the first program of its kind in Arkansas to receive a certification from the U.S. Department of Labor. Since then, Nabholz has expanded Nabholz University to include more hands-on training programs, online courses, webinars, professional certifications, an internship program, and more.

“Once someone joins the Nabholz team, we want to invest in them with training and support with the hope that they’ll stay at Nabholz for their entire career,” CEO Jake Nabholz said. “Nabholz University is our way of delivering professional development and strengthening Nabholz with a highly skilled, well-rounded team.”

Nabholz University programs include training for carpenters, millwrights, crew leaders, superintendents, equipment operators, project managers, and more. Depending on the program, training can last from a few months to up to four years.

Someone who begins in the Youth Apprenticeship Program as a high schooler, for example, can go on to become a carpentry apprentice, then a crew leader with Craft Leadership Development, and then a superintendent with the Superintendent Development Program.

Beth Maris, a closeout manager, has participated in five Nabholz University programs over her 20 years at Nabholz. 

“Each program I’ve taken has taught me new aspects of the industry and our company,” Maris said. “We’re encouraged to invest in our own growth and to pay it forward by helping others do the same. That’s why I’m a committee member in two Nabholz University programs. Participating in these programs has also helped me connect with others across the company, which is vital as Nabholz continues to grow.” 

In the past five years, Nabholz has grown exponentially, going from 1,200 employees to nearly 2,000 across offices in nine states. The company has also doubled the number of summer interns, with 2026’s class welcoming a record 57 interns from 29 universities. 

Hiring and training skilled workers to meet construction demands is one challenge; retaining those workers is another.

“Maintaining a welcoming environment where our people are connected has been a challenge as we’ve grown,” Nabholz said. “To address this, we’ve placed more emphasis on employee engagement with open communication, better onboarding processes, and more professional development opportunities. It’s really made a difference for our people. Our voluntary turnover rates have dropped in half in the last few years.”

Another key part of the company’s continued growth, Nabholz stressed, is the opportunity for people outside of Nabholz to participate in the Carpentry Apprenticeship Program and the Youth Apprenticeship Program. 

The four-year Carpentry Apprenticeship Program serves as an accessible entry point for anyone interested in the carpentry profession — even if the participant doesn’t work at Nabholz. Participants are taught by experienced Nabholz carpenters and receive a diploma recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor upon graduation.

Through the Youth Apprenticeship Program, Nabholz partners with schools to raise awareness of skilled trades and give students ages 16-18 opportunities for hands-on jobsite experience. Youth apprentices are paid Nabholz employees and mentored by Nabholz professionals in skilled trades, jobsite safety, and the industry. 

“We partner year-round with schools to offer apprenticeships to students who might not know about skilled trades,” Sheila Burroughs, Director of Workforce Development, said. “It raises awareness about construction as a profession and opens a lot of doors for them to join the workforce as a highly skilled and educated employee after graduation.”

Twin brothers Davion and Donta King are just one example of this career path. The brothers participated in the Youth Apprenticeship Program after being introduced to it through classes at Little Rock Metropolitan Career Technical Center.

“We thought we were going to do a lot of cleaning, but Nabholz taught us how to use tools, read blueprints, and do blocking,” Davion King said. “We learned a lot from being youth apprentices.”

Today, the King brothers are full-time Nabholz employees working on job sites at Arkansas Children’s. They are also participating in Nabholz University’s Operator Training Program to further advance their careers by becoming skilled machine operators.

Stories like these are found across Nabholz’s nearly 2,000-employee workforce. By focusing on employee growth and engagement, the company has steadily tackled the construction industry’s recruitment challenges from within. 

In turn, Nabholz has continued to support Arkansas’ rapidly growing communities by constructing projects like roadway improvements in Rogers, new fire stations in Sherwood and Conway, UAMS’ new Orthopaedic and Spine Hospital in Little Rock, new healthcare facilities for St. Bernards in Jonesboro, education facilities for school districts across the state — and much, much more. 

For more information about joining the Nabholz team or collaborating on a construction project, visit www.nabholz.com.