National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER)

Lowe’s Foundation announces New Round of Gable Grants to Goodwill, LISC and NCCER

Mechanical Hub Team November 6, 2023

Grants bring Lowe’s Foundation’s total support for skilled trades workforce development to nearly $11 million in 2023 as part of five-year, $50 million commitment The Lowe’s Foundation today announced a total of $3 million in Gable Grants to three national nonprofit organizations that are delivering innovative and scalable skilled trades training in local communities nationwide Read more

Grants bring Lowe’s Foundation’s total support for skilled trades workforce development to nearly $11 million in 2023 as part of five-year, $50 million commitment

The Lowe’s Foundation today announced a total of $3 million in Gable Grants to three national nonprofit organizations that are delivering innovative and scalable skilled trades training in local communities nationwide. The $1 million grants are being awarded to Goodwill Industries International, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER).

The national Lowe’s Foundation Gable Grants program will accept applications for two-year grants to help build a sustainable infrastructure of innovative training programs to cultivate more job-ready tradespeople and address the skilled trades labor shortage throughout the U.S.

“Each of these organizations brings something different to the table through their robust network of skilled trades training programs and a strong local and national presence,” said Janice Dupré, Lowe’s executive vice president of human resources and chair of the Lowe’s Foundation. “These programs, paired with the grants to community and technical colleges announced this summer, are a critical step as the Lowe’s Foundation continues to help build a sustainable infrastructure of innovative skilled trades programs across our communities.”

These grants will fund programs that prepare more individuals for skilled trades careers, including providing accelerated training, coaching, wraparound services and targeted workforce development in communities impacted by natural disasters.

Goodwill will use the funding to support the Goodwill Opportunity Accelerator, a workforce development program that provides holistic wraparound services

Goodwill will use the funding to support the Goodwill Opportunity Accelerator, a workforce development program that provides holistic wraparound services to help participants from any background develop foundational digital and job-ready skills and pursue a pathway into an in-demand industry position. This comes to life through the support of strong partner relationships with employers, credentialing organizations and funders.

“We are extremely grateful for this grant from the Lowe’s Foundation, which will enhance the dignity and quality of life for job seekers nationwide,” said Martin Scaglione, chief mission officer of Goodwill Industries International. “The critical support provided by Gable Grants will help us leverage the Goodwill Opportunity Accelerator, our holistic workforce delivery model. This will increase access to skilled trades training and help dedicated tradespeople connect with employers who need them.”

LISC will fund 12 partners that offer industry-specific training, financial coaching, income support access and wraparound services to skilled trades job seekers in local communities

LISC will fund 12 partners that offer industry-specific training, financial coaching, income support access and wraparound services to skilled trades job seekers in local communities.

“We know that building bridges between workers and potential employers at the community level, combined with culturally relevant training and coaching support, is a highly effective model,” said LISC CEO Michael T. Pugh. “This grant will allow us to ramp up access to training in the skilled trades in places it has been historically lacking, and it will help lead hundreds of people into fulfilling careers.”

NCCER will expand its Community Construction Academies to underserved individuals in response to community and workforce needs

NCCER will expand its Community Construction Academies to underserved individuals in response to community and workforce needs. These boot camp-style training programs will build upon a successful tuition-free, rapid recovery construction training pilot funded by Lowe’s last fall to help rebuild Southwest Florida communities after Hurricane Ian. The academies allow program participants to earn industry-recognized NCCER construction craft credentials.

“We see an opportunity to engage and train individuals to help with rebuilding efforts locally and provide opportunities for fulfilling careers in construction that can last a lifetime,” said Boyd Worsham, president and CEO of NCCER. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to scale this program. We know these academies can transform both communities and lives.”

The Lowe’s Foundation has committed $50 million over five years to help prepare 50,000 people for careers in skilled trades. The Foundation awarded Gable Grants totaling nearly $8 million to community and technical colleges in July and plans to announce its first cohort of community-based nonprofit grant recipients in early 2024.

NCCER and Build Your Future Expands CareerStarter Nationally

Mechanical Hub Team August 24, 2022

The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), through its Build Your Future (BYF) initiative, is excited to announce the national expansion of its career exploration tool, CareerStarter. This new program provides direct connections between entry-level job seekers, local training programs and employers. When considering an opportunity in construction, many are unsure of where to Read more

The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), through its Build Your Future (BYF) initiative, is excited to announce the national expansion of its career exploration tool, CareerStarter. This new program provides direct connections between entry-level job seekers, local training programs and employers.

When considering an opportunity in construction, many are unsure of where to begin. CareerStarter’s career exploration tools help bridge the gap between curiosity and a construction career. The advantage of CareerStarter comes through bringing together all members of the career path process into one place.

There are great reasons for people in any role to join the CareerStarter platform:

  • Students and Job Seekers can use the exploration resources to discover potential career paths, then find the right educational or work opportunities to help them take their next steps.
  • Employers can find talent for their company by building a business profile, posting free and unlimited entry-level job listings, and using the automatic candidate matching feature.
  • Educators can promote their training program while monitoring students’ activity on the tool and tracking the direct success stories of their program.

“NCCER is proud to provide a program supporting job seekers, employers and educators as we work to increase the construction workforce,” said NCCER President and CEO Boyd Worsham. “It takes all of us working together to make a real impact in the industry, and CareerStarter will help us all foster connections and come together to fill the skills gap.”

In the opening months of CareerStarter, the tool has already helped hundreds of future craft professionals take their first steps into the construction field.

“It’s been difficult to find a source for students to connect with employers and learn how to market themselves,” said Phil Vice with Connect For Success NC. “The process was very simple – in fact, the teachers just provided the QR code, and the students took to it easily. The feedback I received was great!  Students were able to look for opportunities and see what they might need to accomplish their career goals.”

This program is free of charge to individuals, schools, employers and training programs. This is thanks to the generosity and commitment to the construction industry by forward-thinking organizations like Bechtel Group Foundation, which aims to promote STEM education and use engineering and construction skills to improve the quality of life worldwide; Procore Technologies, a leading global provider of construction management software; and Stanley Black & Decker, a trusted distributor of high-quality industry tools.

To check out the CareerStarter platform, visit careerstarter.byf.org.

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