For Jordan Parisse-Ferrarini, a career that began with his family’s small business and tools from a pawn shop has flourished into multiple companies, numerous advisory roles and a passion for developing the next generation of skilled trades professionals.

A licensed master electrician and certified construction management professional, Parisse-Ferrarini serves on the Executive Board of Directors for the
Building Industry Association of Philadelphia (BIA), where he creates and advocates for builder-driven programs to strengthen the residential construction workforce.

“This is to help more people from the community get into the workforce and get more subcontractors into the business,” Parisse-Ferrarini said. “I want them to see opportunities in the trades a lot earlier than many of us did.”

He founded
Trades for a Difference (TFAD), a Philadelphia Housing Authority-licensed program that provides classroom education and hands-on training for 16- to 26-year-olds pursuing careers in the skilled trades.

As president of Northwest Development Group and Ferrarini Permits and Planning, he also guides
Buy Back the Block, a five-day national training platform for affordable housing developers.

“We’re teaching traditional skills and helping people become employed, but we’re also helping small contractors to scale up,” he said.

Parisse-Ferrarini said his true passion has always been teaching and education – and that programs he oversees have trained more than 2,000 people. TFAD has hosted 300-person events where young adults received free OSHA-10 training, applied for pre-apprenticeship programs and attended job fairs.

His BIA involvement has sparked fellow members to get involved, including hosting jobsite tours for more than 30 aspiring professionals and speaking to newer small business owners about how to grow their companies.

A member of the BIA’s Affordable Housing and Diversity and Inclusion committees, Parisse-Ferrarini also leads local outreach events to introduce minorities, women and other Philadelphia community members to careers in the trades. At the national level, he is part of NAHB’s
Workforce Development Advisory Council.

“It all comes from a responsibility I feel to take the talents I’ve been given to overcome my circumstances and share those successes and pay it forward,” he said. “I believe there needs to be more diversity and inclusion in the building industry. More people from different walks of life need to tap into it.”

Additionally, Parisse-Ferrarini serves on the advisory boards of the Dawud Bey Jr. Training Academy and
Trust Factor, which introduces middle and high school students to construction and pre-apprenticeship pathways. In these roles, he emphasizes that residential construction is an equally successful career path as a four-year college degree.

“It helps them to see the trades in a different light,” Parisse-Ferrarini said. “It’s not just dirty, dusty and covered in paint. There’s great opportunity for success and to bring things to life.”

Are you interested in becoming more involved with local workforce development efforts? Join an upcoming
Workforce Development Advisory Council meeting to learn how to guide programs and support new initiatives.