Mobile made a move this past week that speaks to growth, opportunity, and the future of local neighborhoods.
City officials approved a $100,000 investment to launch the South Alabama Homebuilding Academy, known as SAHA, and turn construction training into a clear pathway for residents looking to learn a trade.
The money comes through a one-time performance contract introduced by Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis and passed during the Dec. 2 council meeting.
It kicks off a project that aims to build real skills, real careers, and eventually real homes across Mobile.
Training Built Around Real Tools and Real Jobs
The academy will partner with Goodwill Gulf Coast to start offering classes in January 2026. This is hands-on teaching, not lecture hall theory.
Students will learn the fundamentals of construction, job-site safety, and skill-based trades like roofing, plumbing, carpentry, electrical work, and HVAC installation.
It looks like a direct line from classroom instruction to a job that pays on day one. Local leaders modeled SAHA after successful programs in other Alabama cities that already show results.
Those examples helped shape a plan for Mobile that puts experience at the center of learning.
Demand Shows Up Early
More than 60 people have already signed up for classes before SAHA even opens its doors. Early interest shows a hunger for marketable skills and fresh career options.
Construction companies across the Gulf Coast continue to expand, and many face hiring challenges as projects stack up. SAHA steps into that gap.
It creates a space where students pick up certifications, practice tool handling, and meet employers who need reliable workers.
When housing projects move forward with trained crews, entire communities feel the lift.
City Support Reaches Beyond the First Investment
Leaders say the project goes farther than a single check. Mobile plans to explore ways to support the academy through future building permit revenue.
The city already works to streamline inspection and permitting services, and SAHA fits into that system by preparing skilled workers who know codes, safety standards, and professional expectations.
It creates smoother projects and quicker timelines once construction crews hit job sites. The idea becomes simple: invest in training today, and unlock economic activity tomorrow.
A Pathway Into Construction Careers
Mayor Cheriogotis highlighted the vision in plain language: the academy brings more housing and more economic opportunity into reach.
He said SAHA gives residents a way to earn credentials in trades that continue to grow across the region.
The goal is clear. Local companies need talent. Young workers need jobs. Homes need to be built and renovated. SAHA pulls those pieces together in one place where people can learn a skill, pick up useful experience, and walk straight into a career.
Classes start soon, and information is already available at gobuildmobile.org.
Anyone interested in hands-on work, learning a trade, or exploring a new direction can check course availability and upcoming schedules there.
The simple act of training a group of new builders has a ripple effect: safer job sites in the future, stronger neighborhoods, and more people earning solid pay through meaningful work.
Construction touches daily life in Mobile. Each repair, roof, or new home changes a street corner in a real way.
SAHA sets up the next wave of workers who will frame those houses, run the wiring, fix the pipes, and keep air running cold during long Gulf Coast summers.
When tools hit lumber and sparks rise from fresh wiring, someone who started in a January training session will stand in the center of that job.
If you’d like to check out other news stories, hop over to our news corner.
