“AbbVie’s support has been a vital part of helping us reconstruct our island and make it more resilient using the best mitigation techniques,” says William Cruz, Habitat Builds Puerto Rico’s program manager.
As Habitat’s leading partner in reconstruction efforts in Puerto Rico, AbbVie donated $50 million to Habitat in 2018 to help strengthen access to housing on the island after the storms. Habitat’s holistic hurricane recovery program in Puerto Rico supports home repair work, securing land tenure, fostering long-term improvement to shelter and land resilience issues, and workforce development programming.
Building capacity and knowledge through workforce development
Students of Habitat Builds Puerto Rico receive instruction on plumbing, masonry, electrical work, carpentry, measurements and blueprints, health and safety, and more. The program offers a construction lab that simulates a job site, allowing students to problem-solve, repair and build in teams. For José, the courses were critical to his success as a construction worker — and ultimately as a business owner.
“Every day when I am working on repairs, I use what I learned in the program,” he says. “All of the courses are important.”
Students also receive career counseling, including workshops to help build their resumes and prepare for interviews — and a career fair is held after graduation to help students meet prospective employers. As of March 2023, 266 students have graduated from the program.