The Home Depot Foundation announced yesterday a $50 million commitment to partner with HBI to train 20,000 new skilled workers over the next 10 years.
HBI, the industry’s education arm, trains separating military members, high school students and at-risk youth for careers in the skilled trades. The grant will significantly increase the number of workers trained through HBI curriculum and help address the industry’s labor shortage.
“We want to bring shop class back, from coast-to-coast,” said Shannon Gerber, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation. “We’re thrilled to train 20,000 next-generation plumbers, electricians, carpenters and beyond.”
HBI joined forces with The Home Depot Foundation last year to launch a pilot trades training program for military members at Fort Stewart, Georgia and Fort Bragg in North Carolina. The first set of students will graduate this month.
“Our program prepares men and women for high-growth careers in the industry after leaving military service,” said HBI CEO John Courson. “With 200,000 service members separating from the military every year, our partnership with The Home Depot Foundation enables us to serve more veterans across the country.”
The 12-week pre-apprenticeship certification program, which is provided at no cost to students, uses industry-based curriculum recognized by the Department of Labor that integrates work-based learning with technical and academic skills. The program, which has a job placement rate of more than 90%, will now roll out on additional bases across the United States.
Learn more about HBI’s training programs at hbi.org.
