Coalition Aims to Train 1 Million Skilled Workers by 2035 Amid Industry Shortage
Nearly 80 companies and organizations have joined forces to launch the Building Futures Skilled Trades Coalition, aiming to train 1 million people for skilled trade careers by 2035.
The coalition was formed by the Lowe's Foundation, a nonprofit funded by the home improvement retailer, in partnership with businesses including Bank of America, AT&T, and Nvidia. The initiative comes after Google, Ford, BlackRock, and Carhartt launched a similar group called the Alliance for America's Skilled Trades in late July.
Lowe's CEO Marvin Ellison said that the coalition is responding to calls from existing partners for a unified effort to redefine what's possible when leaders from different sectors rally behind a common purpose. 'The next industrial revolution won't be built by algorithms alone,' Ellison said, 'it will be built by the millions of skilled trade professionals who power, connect and move this country forward.'
The coalition plans to boost the skilled trades pipeline through actions including changing public perception, investing in training and credentialing solutions, and establishing shared measures to track progress from training to employment.