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Lowe’s drops $250M on fixing the talent pipeline, why material costs are climbing, and trade schools are getting real-deal gear before grads ever hit a jobsite.
Plus, how one shop is skilling up apprentices, fresh deals to grab, and OSHA’s upcoming National Safety Stand-Down.
Table of contents
Industry news
Lowe’s invests $250M to build the next generation of tradespeople
The Lowe’s Foundation is expanding its commitment to the skilled trades with a $250M investment aimed at training and developing 250,000 new tradespeople. When a major retailer whose entire business depends on the trades starts writing nine-figure checks to build the workforce, the shortage is real—and the opportunity is too.
Materials are getting more expensive fast
Construction materials costs climbed in March, driven by a near-record jump in diesel fuel prices. If your material costs are creeping up, you’re not imagining it—and now’s the time to revisit your pricing before it hits your margins.
Bring Back the Trades puts pro-grade tools in the classroom
Bring Back the Trades launched a national tool grant program with Milwaukee Tool, putting professional-grade equipment in trade school classrooms before students ever set foot on a jobsite. Less theory, more hands-on reps from day one.
Build your bench: Jay’s launches Altitude Academy
Jay’s Heating, Air & Plumbing isn’t waiting around for the talent pipeline to fix itself. They just launched Altitude Academy, an earn-while-you-learn program that puts apprentices in the field early and moves them through skill levels fast. Less classroom, more crawlspaces. The goal: techs who can handle a jobsite, not just pass a test.
The training center mirrors real homes with real systems and scenarios. As owner Jamie Vaughan put it: “At a time when the skilled trades face a growing workforce shortage, it’s a way for us to make a proactive investment in developing the next generation of qualified professionals.”
Why it matters: With National Apprenticeship Week (April 26–May 2) around the corner, more shops are realizing the same thing—if you want solid techs, you’ve gotta build them.
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Pro perks
- Home Depot → Save $190 on a Milwaukee M18 Circular Saw.
- Duluth Trading Company → Buy 1, get 1 50% off work pants.
- Acme Tools → Score 20% off Carhartt items. Code: CARHARTT20
Stay compliant
Stop falls before they start
OSHA’s upcoming National Safety Stand-Down (May 4–8) is your nudge to hit pause and cover fall safety with your crew. Take 10–15 minutes to:
- Talk to your crew
- Check harnesses and gear
- Walk through jobsite risks
Recs
3 picks worth the click
- Even NASA can’t dodge plumbing issues → Artemis II’s first-of-its-kind space toilet went on the fritz—not great timing when you’re in space. Try fixing that without gravity.
- Talk shop with people who get it → PHCC peer groups link you up with other contractors to share wins, losses, and what’s actually working right now.
- Last call: Know a standout under 40? → Trades 40 Under 40 nominations close 4/30—this is your shot to put them on the map.
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