Home Depot Launched Skilled Trades Curriculum for Youth
The company’s new program targets students ages 11 to 17 to help bridge the industry’s widening labor gap.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Jobs — General
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The Home Depot has introduced the Skills Explorers curriculum to educate youth on carpentry, plumbing, and electrical work. The program, developed with Scouting America, is designed for schools and youth groups to help improve interest in trade careers.
Why it matters
The initiative aims to address a critical labor shortage where two workers enter the skilled trades for every five who retire. With only 6% of young adults currently interested in these roles, the program seeks to correct industry misconceptions early.
The U.S. faces 300,000 vacant skilled trades positions, with a replacement ratio of just 2 workers entering for every 5 retiring. The Home Depot Foundation has set a goal to introduce 15 million people to the skilled trades by 2032.
The players
The Home Depot
A global home improvement retailer that operates over 2,300 stores and relies heavily on the health of the residential construction and trade labor markets.
The Home Depot Foundation
The philanthropic arm of the retailer that focuses on workforce development and housing initiatives for veterans and tradespeople.
Scouting America
A national youth organization focused on character development and outdoor skills that partnered to design the new vocational curriculum.
The details
The Skills Explorers program utilizes hands-on activities to teach foundational skills in carpentry, plumbing, and electrical maintenance. It is structured for distribution across diverse educational settings, including traditional schools, homeschool groups, and nonprofit clubs. By integrating these modules into existing youth programming, the company attempts to broaden the recruitment pipeline for construction and home services sectors.
Timeline
2032 is the target year for introducing 15 million people to skilled trades.
Market Landscape
This program aligns with the long-term federal focus established by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act to bolster vocational pipelines. It represents a private-sector effort to solve the systemic under-recruitment that has persisted despite decade-long industry growth.
Operators in construction and home services should monitor these early-career outreach efforts as a signal for future talent supply. Firms struggling with recruitment may find opportunities to partner with local educational groups using this curriculum to build their own regional pipelines.
The takeaway
The skilled trades labor gap is a structural issue that will require sustained engagement with youth education to resolve. Business owners should assess their current local internship and apprenticeship offerings against this trend to ensure they remain competitive for future talent.
Further reading
For broader trends in labor development, see the Jobs — General section.
More information
To review the full range of activities or integrate them into your local outreach, visit the Skills Explorers program curriculum information.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KUTV.
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