As the skilled labor shortage in the U.S. construction industry deepens, The Home Depot Foundation is taking steps to make sure opportunities are available to those who seek careers in the trades.
The organization has announced a $10 million investment to expand access to skilled trades education and workforce development—starting with a new partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
This move is part of The Home Depot Foundation’s larger Path to Pro initiative, which aims to close the trades labor gap by providing hands-on training, certifications, and career pathways to underserved youth, veterans, and military families.
Building Futures Through Trades Education
At the heart of this investment is a new $1 million partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). The two-year pilot program will operate in Clubs across Atlanta, Phoenix, and Houston, reaching over 1,000 young people.
Club members will gain exposure to career opportunities in carpentry, electrical work, HVAC, and plumbing—skills desperately needed in today’s labor market.
This trades training will be embedded in BGCA’s Life & Workforce Readiness Program and include real-world projects in partnership with Team Depot, The Home Depot’s employee volunteer network.
“The skilled trades offer some of the most promising career paths, yet many young people either aren’t aware of or lack access to these opportunities,” said Erin Izen, Executive Director of The Home Depot Foundation.
A Workforce Crisis in the Making
Despite over 400,000 open construction jobs in the U.S., only a small percentage of young workers are entering the trades.
A joint study by the Home Builders Institute and University of Denver forecasts that this gap could cost the residential construction industry $10.8 billion due to slowed housing production and longer build times.
The shortage is further exacerbated by the retirement of veteran tradespeople. With demand rising and supply dwindling, early exposure to trades training is essential to building a sustainable workforce.
Expansion Across Veteran & Military Communities
In addition to the BGCA pilot, the Foundation’s investment will:
- Expand pre-apprenticeship certifications to nearly 2,000 high school students via the Home Builders Institute (HBI)
- Extend partnerships with 100 Black Men of America and military-focused programs
- Provide scholarships through Folds of Honor for military families attending trade schools
- Support Construction Ready and the SkillPointe Foundation to offer training and direct job placement
These efforts are aligned with the Foundation’s goal of investing $50 million in trades training by 2028.
Why This Matters: Impact on Society & the Economy
This initiative does more than fill labor gaps—it helps create economic opportunity and generational change:
✅ Youth Empowerment: Exposes young people—many from underserved communities—to high-paying, stable careers.
✅ Veteran Transition: Supports military service members and their families with viable career paths after service.
✅ Affordable Housing Solutions: Addresses bottlenecks in construction, easing the housing crisis by accelerating building timelines.
✅ Workforce Equity: Opens access to careers that don’t require a four-year degree, helping bridge economic divides.
“This partnership with The Home Depot Foundation opens doors to skilled trades careers, empowering thousands of youth to discover their potential and build great futures,” said Jennifer Bateman, SVP of Youth Development at BGCA.
About Path to Pro & The Home Depot Foundation
The Path to Pro program offers free online skills training, certifications, and a job-matching platform with over 65,000 trade candidates.
It is part of The Home Depot Foundation’s broader mission to improve homes, support veterans, and respond to natural disasters.
Since 2011, The Foundation has invested over $550 million in veteran causes and pledged $750 million by 2030.
🔗 Learn more about the Path to Pro program
Final Thoughts
In an era where college debt looms large and industries struggle to find talent, investments like this are more than timely—they’re transformative.
By equipping youth and veterans with hands-on training and meaningful career paths, The Home Depot Foundation is helping build a future workforce that’s skilled, diverse, and ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
