The Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA) is closing in on its $7.5 million fundraising goal to complete construction of its new Workforce Development Center and headquarters, announcing on Dec. 16 that it is now $2.1 million short of the target.
According to the organization, reaching the full fundraising goal would allow NEFBA to complete the project without taking on debt, a key objective as it prepares to relocate its operations. Construction is already underway at the 4.7-acre site located at 4932 Old Sunbeam Road, with Auld & White Constructors serving as the project’s general contractor. NEFBA hopes to move into the facility by March.
The association purchased the existing building at the Sunbeam Road site in January and is converting it into a centralized headquarters and workforce education hub. Once complete, the facility will consolidate NEFBA’s apprentice training programs for carpentry, electrical, HVAC and plumbing trades under one roof.
Apprentices enrolled in the program are actively contributing to the construction effort. As NEFBA Executive Officer Jessie Spradley explained during a breakfast meeting, “Apprentices building for apprentices.”
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Public and private funding have played a significant role in advancing the project. The city of Jacksonville has contributed $1 million, while the state of Florida provided an additional $750,000. The Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Foundation made an initial $350,000 donation and later followed with a $500,000 challenge gift to help accelerate fundraising efforts.
NEFBA’s apprentice program, which began in 1973, has seen substantial growth over the past decade. Enrollment increased from 181 students in 2015 to 540 apprentices in 2025. Employers sponsor participants in the program at a cost of $900 per apprentice per year. Apprentices work on job sites during the day and attend classes two evenings each week.
After completing the four-year program, graduates earn national credentials along with 27 college credits toward an associate of science degree in industrial management from Florida State College at Jacksonville.
Currently, NEFBA’s trade schools operate across multiple locations, including space donated by Keiser University. The new Workforce Development Center is intended to bring all training programs into a single, purpose-built facility.
Plans for the 43,000-square-foot building include 11 classrooms, dedicated lab spaces for each trade, an auditorium, conference rooms and administrative offices for NEFBA’s headquarters. Once completed, the center is expected to strengthen workforce training capacity and support the region’s growing construction industry.
Originally reported by Dan Macdonald in Jax Daily Record.
