We Center / We Build, a key partner of Communities Unlimited (CU), provides vocational training for at-risk youth in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, teaching hands-on construction skills to create volumetric modular housing. This effort is part of a collaboration with come.dream.come.build (cdcb) and bc Workshop, who designed the Dream Build model to promote innovative rural development strategies. CU plays a crucial role in supporting We Center by offering housing counseling, financial assistance, and guidance to help apprentices like Damarion Simmons succeed, as they work toward completing their first home and building a brighter future for the community of Pine Bluff.

Damarion Simmons didn’t fit the typical mold of a construction apprentice when he joined We Center / We Build in Pine Bluff.

Coming from a retail background, he faced skepticism. But since joining the program in November 2023, he’s proved his doubters wrong, evolving from retail worker to skilled contractor through the center’s vocational training. We Center offers training for youth aged 16 to 21 in carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, HVAC, welding,  and landscaping — skills essential to rebuilding underserved communities like Pine Bluff.

“They didn’t believe I could do hard labor,” Simmons said. “They thought, ‘Oh, you’ve only worked retail, you’ve never done anything like this.’ Now, I’m coming up on a year here, and I’ve proved them wrong. You’ve just got to have a strong mentality.”

For Damarion, the training has been more than just a job. “It’s more of a mentor-type thing, building character,” he said, crediting Director Codney Washington for his growth. “Mr. Washington brought me in when others didn’t think I was cut out for this work. I stuck with it, and he’s helped me.”

We Center’s mission goes beyond training; its apprentices contribute to building affordable housing in Pine Bluff.

The center’s first project, a volumetric modular home on Larch Street in Ward 3, is nearing completion. Over the past two months, trainees new to construction have followed a comprehensive build manual, simplifying the process step-by-step. After nearly two years of preparation and training, the team is just a month away from finishing the home.

Damarion envisions even more: “I hope to see two-story houses with nice yards, something that will catch people’s eye.” He sees these homes as symbols of the community’s potential for growth and renewal.

Washington highlights the program’s transformative power: “We’re combining training with building homes, filling both the need for housing and skilled workers.” The impacts are already visible in the apprentices and the community.

Evan Jones, Marketing Director and in-shop supervisor, supports the apprentices by teaching the foundations of framing and reading plans. The vision extends beyond one house, as We Center / We Build partners like Verna Perry aim to expand opportunities through the Carpenter’s Daughter Apprenticeship Programs.

For Damarion, the work is personal. “I’m big on building community,” he said.

Now, with almost a year of hard work behind him, he’s focused on proving that change is possible — one house, and one character-building experience, at a time.