The Home Depot Foundation has granted $5 million to expand its Path to Pros trades training program to more than 250 schools in over 30 states, in partnership with Home Builders Institute (HBI) and Construction Ready. In 2018, the Home Depot Foundation announced a $50 million commitment to train the next generation of skilled tradespeople, diversify the trades industry, and address the growing labor shortage in the U.S. The nonprofit said the incremental funding will expand Path to Pro training and certification opportunities for youth, high school students, separating military service members, and underserved communities.
“As Path to Pro enters its fifth year, the program has introduced more than 15,000 people to the skilled trades,” Shannon Gerber, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation, said in a news release. “The Foundation is successfully extending opportunities to those who will support the country’s construction efforts and tracking toward its $50 million commitment. This growth doesn’t happen without our industry-leading partners who help us serve underrepresented communities and diversify the talent pipeline to withstand the significant shortage of skilled tradespeople. We look forward to advancing our efforts with this incremental commitment to support this critical issue.”