Built by Contractors, for the Construction Industry
Field-first training that teaches the why behind the work, so mistakes are caught before they happen.
We're not the flashiest training company. We're a training company built by people who've been in the field.
Our Mission
Workers complete training, but mistakes still happen in the field.
Our mission is to teach crews not just what to do, but why it matters—so they can catch errors before they become costly problems. We preserve the knowledge that experienced workers carry in their heads and make it accessible to every crew member, at any stage of their career.
Our Vision
We envision a construction industry where preventable mistakes are rare, not routine. Where new hires understand the reasoning behind their work from day one. Where the knowledge that makes crews effective doesn't disappear when experienced workers retire. Where training actually works because it's built for the people doing the work.
What Makes Us Different
Built for Real Jobsites, Not Generic E-Learning
Most construction training is either:
- •Generic safety videos that put crews to sleep
- •Compliance checkboxes that don't teach anything useful
- •Theory from people who've never held a caulk gun
We're different. Our courses are built by construction professionals with 20+ years in waterproofing and concrete restoration. We teach the why behind the work—not just procedures to memorize.
Four Things You Won't Get Anywhere Else:
1. Field-Ready from Day One
No course building required. 14 ready-to-use courses covering sealants, waterproofing, and concrete restoration. Built for the trades where mistakes cost the most: preventing water intrusion, ensuring structural integrity, protecting building envelopes.
2. Skills + Safety Together
Every course blends practical trade skills with safety knowledge. Crews learn why systems fail and what good work looks like—not just how to pass a compliance test.
3. Teaches the 'Why' Behind the Work
Understanding beats memorization. When crews know why each step matters, they catch mistakes during installation—not after. Preserves generational knowledge from experienced workers before it walks out the door.
4. Built for the Trades Where Mistakes Cost the Most
Focused on exterior envelope work: sealant joints, waterproofing membranes, concrete restoration, air barriers. These aren't 'nice to have' skills—they're preventing catastrophic building failures, mold, structural damage, and warranty claims.
What We've Built
- •14 introductory skills courses covering sealants, waterproofing, and concrete restoration
- •30+ toolbox talks designed for quick jobsite training and skills reinforcement
- •Content following the Sealant, Waterproofing & Restoration Institute's training validation criteria
- •Bilingual courses in English and Spanish, designed for the real makeup of construction crews
Every course is 6–8 hours and ready to use. No LMS to set up. No course-building work for you. Just solid training that's ready for the field on day one.
Our Story
U Build Academy started with a problem we couldn't ignore: workers complete training, but mistakes still happen.
For years, we watched crews finish safety classes, pass tests, and then make the same installation errors on the jobsite—incorrectly applying sealants, missing critical waterproofing steps, or doing rework that could have been avoided with better understanding.
As we dug deeper, we saw the experienced tradespeople were retiring, taking decades of field knowledge with them. New hires were learning by trial and error—costing time, money, and safety. Training existed, but it wasn't actually teaching people to think.
We realized we needed training that explained the reasoning, not just the rules. That showed why systems fail so crews could recognize problems before they became disasters. That was specific to our trades—not generic videos made for every industry.
That gap is where U Build Academy was born.
We're building the foundation for a more skilled, safer, and more resilient construction workforce, one course at a time.
Leadership
Built by people who've been in the field, managed crews, and seen what happens when training doesn't work.
Johnny Raffio
Co-Founder
Raised around the construction industry, Johnny brings a background in business operations, analytics, and product development. His experience centers on building and scaling systems that support consistency, clarity, and decision-making across teams.
At U Build Academy, Johnny leads product and platform development, focusing on how field knowledge is captured, structured, and delivered. His work ensures training reflects real jobsite conditions and helps crews understand not just what to do, but why it matters.
Cindy Raffio
Co-Founder
Cindy Raffio is the owner of MCW Companies, a waterproofing, caulking, and concrete restoration company with over 20 years of experience serving South Florida.
She is a former president and current member of the Sealant, Waterproofing & Restoration Institute (SWRI), bringing deep expertise in exterior building envelope construction.
At U Build Academy, Cindy ensures every course reflects how work is actually performed in the field. Her experience informs the practical reasoning behind installation decisions and the emphasis on teaching the why, not just the steps.
Ready to Get Started?
Whether you're a:
- •Contractor looking to standardize training and reduce rework
- •Manufacturer wanting to support proper product installation
- •Architect or Engineer seeking better field insight and constructability
- •Individual building trade skills and advancing your career
- •Trade Association providing value to your members
U Build Academy can help. We know you have a choice in training. So here's what you need to know:
We're not the flashiest option. We don't have celebrity endorsements or TV ads. What we have is 20+ years of field experience, courses validated by industry experts, and a science-backed approach to making training actually stick.