workforce development program

Building to Scale

Empowering individuals for career success in the building industry

upcoming session: June 23 — August 29, 2025

Location: 9040 N Burgard Way, Portland, OR 97203
Hours: 8am – 4pm

About the Program

Gain hands-on experience of HONE construction in a modular facility

HONE is launching a 10-week workforce development program designed for individuals looking to start a career in the building industry. This immersive program provides both classroom instruction and hands-on training, focusing on the construction of a modular building from start to finish.

Important Dates

Open House for Industry Partners & Interested Parties: April 24, 2025

Open House for Prospective Participants: Mid-May

Application Deadline: May 23, 2025

Program Dates: June 23—August 29, 2025

Program Mission

Develop the next generation of passionate builders by giving them access to the building community.

the program

What to Expect

Hands-On Training

Participants will spend the majority of their day working on-site, applying their skills in real-time.

Real-World Experience

The class takes place at MODS PDX, an active modular building facility, allowing participants to work alongside professionals in a real production environment.

Industry Networking

Participants will be given the opportunity to grow their personal network within the  industry, with potential to lead to  job opportunities.

Industry Expertise

The program is led by an experienced instructor, with guest experts—including Structural Engineers, Electricians, and Plumbers—providing specialized training.

    • Safety

    • Tooling

    • Material handling 

    • Design

    • Plan reading

    • Engineering 

    • Start build

    • Material delivery

    • Floor construction 

    • Layout and wall framing 

    • Ceiling 

    • Rough in MEP

    • Inspection for rough ins 

    • WRB (Water Resistant Barrier) 

    • Insulation 

    • Rainscreen

    • Drywall 

    • Fire nailing 

    • STC rating focused 

    • Int. doors 

    • Trim 

    • Cabinet installation 

    • Siding & flooring 

    • MEP finish 

    • Punch finish 

    • Recap and conclusions 

Apply to the Program

Application Deadline: May 23, 2025

This program is ideal for:

  • Individuals seeking a career in construction or modular home building.

  • Those looking to gain hands-on experience and industry connections.

  • Anyone passionate about sustainable and modern home design.

Meet your Instructors

Nathan D. Young

President

Nathan is a career builder with a degree in Environmental Economics and Political Science from Willamette University. He founded Nathan D. Young Construction, Inc. in 1998 and MODS PDX INC in 2008.

MODS is a Portland-based modular builder that crafts energy-efficient, beautiful buildings of the highest technical quality. Their start-to-finish custom approach has been proven to work across all sectors — custom single-family, multi-family, commercial, institutional, and transitional housing.

Passionate about building science and quality relationships, Nathan has contributed to the industry through leadership roles, including serving as Portland HBA president in 2020 and as a builder captain for the Homebuilders Foundation.

Pete Victoor 

Program Lead

Pete is an artisan in all things building! He as an innate ability to figure out complex situations, analyze difficult details, and establish the intent of a design. He has been in the trades for decades, working on every facet of the industry throughout his career. He is a great leader of our company and a fabulous teacher of our younger artisans moving up through the ranks. Pete is our “detail” guy, always looking 10 steps ahead to and thinking about how each element of the design or structure will effect the next. Nothing is left to chance with Pete at the helm! 

drew shreiner

Program Assistant

Drew started his career as a designer in New York City working on high end residential projects. An interest in the building process caused him to pursue projects through a design/build approach, providing a more integrated process to each project. After working on the East Coast, Drew pursued his Masters in Architecture from the University of Oregon which brought he and his family to Portland, Oregon.

He is Principal at Base Design + Architecture, a design studio whose work is centered on sustainability, context and design. Base focuses on residential and commercial projects with an emphasis on modular construction. Drew has pursued the design build model on many homes in the Portland area and takes pride in being able to take projects from the initial design stage through construction. 

Kegan Flanderka

Program Assistant

Kegan is Principal at Base Design + Architecture, a design studio whose work is centered on sustainability, context and design. He is a registered Architect in Oregon and Washington with extensive experience in multiple typologies including multi-family, commercial, and adaptive reuse. He has worked on modular, multi-family projects from small 6-plexes to over 80 units at all levels of development. Kegan is an avid outdoorsman where the natural environment influences his design aesthetic. Clients appreciate Kegan’s strong communication skills and collaborative approach to design which has resulted in many successfully built projects. 

Questions?

Book a call with our team and we’ll get in touch.