In this live-from-the-show episode, Fine Homebuilding editor Justin Fink and design editor Brian Pontolilo speak with special guest Johnny Hourihan on the floor of the Pacific Coast Builder Conference (PCBC), at booth number 2560, actually.

John is a friend of the show, as you can see from his guest appearances on Episode 31, Episode 79, and Episode 81. He’s an FHB ambassador, and since we last checked in with him, he’s become the owner of Boston-based Vintage Builders. You can see his work on Instagram, @HeresJohnnyH and at @VintageBuilders.

Our second guest on today’s show is Mara Villanueva-Heras. That’s her at the center of the photo at the top of this post. She’s the vp of corporate marketing for CertainTeed, and she’s come on the show to talk about the #KeepCraftAlive movement. CertainTeed is a charter sponsor of the initiative. She has a lot to say about the efforts CertainTeed is making to help get kids involved in the building industry. Mara also talks about how the industry offers the best choice for some young people, such as her stepson, now working in asbestos abatement in New York.

John mentions that college is no guarantee of a job, and many high school grads are not ready at 18 to commit to the financial burden of college, especially when an apprenticeship or training program is a better path. He just launched an internship program, and immediately got 45 applicants. The demand is there. He concedes the work involved for a business owner is high, but the payoff is worth it.

Mara, Johnny, Brian, and Justin take a realistic look at the rewards and opportunities, financial and intangible, for young people considering a career in the trades.

We hope you will take advantage of a great offer for our podcast listeners: A special 20% off discounted rate to subscribe to the Fine Homebuilding print magazine. That link goes to finehomebuilding.com/podoffer.

The show is driven by our listeners, so please subscribe and rate us on iTunes or Google Play, and if you have any questions you would like us to dig into for a future show, shoot an email our way: [email protected]. Also, be sure to follow Justin Fink, Rob Yagid, and Fine Homebuilding on Instagram — and “like” the magazine on Facebook. Note that you can watch the show above, or on YouTube at the Fine Homebuilding YouTube Channel.

The Fine Homebuilding Podcast embodies Fine Homebuilding magazine’s commitment to the preservation of craftsmanship and the advancement of home performance in residential construction. The show is an informal but vigorous conversation about the techniques and principles that allow listeners to master their design and building challenges.

Links for this episode:

• The PCBC website.
• Articles John Hourihan has written for Fine Homebuilding.
• YouthBuild, an organization that helps kids finish high school and gain experience in the building trades.
• Data behind the aging of the building trades workforce.
• Podcast 114, with Anthony Vitale, talking about launching an apprentice program.
• All FHB podcast show notes: FineHomebuilding.com/podcast.
• #KeepCraftAlive tee-shirts support scholarships for building trades students. So go order some shirts at KeepCraftAlive.org.
• The direct link to the online store is here.