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The Home Depot Foundation and Home Builders Institute Partner to Fill the Skilled Labor Gap

May 20, 2019

Imagine needing an electrician, plumber, carpenter, or HVAC specialist to respond when something goes wrong – and not being able to find someone to help.

The demand for skilled trades workers across the U.S., currently exceeds supply. Bureau of Labor estimates show that there are approximately 300,000 (and growing rapidly) open jobs requiring trade specialists.

The Home Depot Foundation, in partnership with the Home Building Institute (HBI), aims to fill the gap in these fields. For separating military veterans, this means better preparation for their return to civilian life. In high schools, we’re embedding pre-apprentice certification electives in 50 underserved schools and establishing advanced-level trades training programs.

We’ve committed to train 20,000 tradespeople to fill the industry pipeline by 2028. Our $50 million dollar investment into nonprofits that share our vision highlights the value that tradespeople provide to the economy. This will also help replenish an industry that is currently not seeing growth.

Together, we are leading the charge to invest in the next generation of doers.