Why This Matters to Distributors: A scaled investment in skilled trades training is a demand signal for the entire building materials and professional contractor supply chain — more trained tradespeople entering the workforce means more job starts, more contractor customers and more sustained pull-through demand for the distributors that serve them.
The Lowe’s Foundation is expanding its network of nonprofit and community college partnerships to help train and develop 250,000 skilled tradespeople by 2035, backing the effort with a $250 million commitment that increases its workforce investment five-fold as the construction industry confronts a deepening labor shortage.
The Mooresville, N.C.-based foundation has already invested $53 million across 65 organizations nationwide through its Gable Grants program and is on track to reach its original goal of training 50,000 tradespeople by 2027 — a full year ahead of schedule.
The expansion adds three focus areas to the existing program. The foundation is broadening partnerships with nonprofits and community colleges to increase training capacity and reduce enrollment barriers, with an emphasis on job placement and long-term program sustainability. It is also expanding its relationship with the National Center for Construction Education and Research to enhance CareerStarter, a free platform connecting students and job seekers with employers, educators, and career opportunities. A third initiative extends training to opportunity youth — people ages 16 to 24 not currently in school or employed — as a new pipeline into skilled trades careers.
The announcement comes as Associated Builders and Contractors estimates that 349,000 net new construction workers are needed this year alone to meet demand.
“Three years ago, we set out to lead an ambitious workforce movement in a pivotal moment — and it’s taken off faster than we imagined,” said Marvin Ellison, Lowe’s chairman and chief executive officer. “American prosperity is at stake, and we are partnering to solve the workforce gap with a growing force of educators, employers and policymakers who understand local needs.”
The foundation is also producing a three-part television series, “Building Back America’s Trades,” premiering April 11 on Magnolia Network and April 12 on HBO Max and discovery+. The series features 12 aspiring tradespeople and their mentors connected to training programs at Columbus Technical College in Georgia, Coconino Community College in Arizona and She Built This City in North Carolina.
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