Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College has joined more than 75 organizations nationwide as a founding member of the Lowe’s Foundation’s new Building Futures Skilled Trades Coalition, a national effort to help train and develop 1 million people for skilled trades careers by 2035.

The Lowe’s Foundation announced the coalition Sept. 1, bringing together educators, businesses, workforce organizations, corporate leaders, industry vendors and other stakeholders to address the nation’s growing skilled trades workforce shortage. The coalition is the largest cross-sector skilled trades coalition in U.S. history.

MGCCC’s participation builds on an established partnership with the Lowe’s Foundation. The college received a $1 million Gable Grant in 2023 to expand technical training, provide scholarships and tool kits to students, and establish a Commercial and Residential Construction Technology program for incarcerated students. In 2025, MGCCC received a second Gable Grant of $700,000 to further expand skilled trades education, career pathways and industry partnerships.

“Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is proud to join organizations across the nation in addressing one of the most significant workforce challenges facing our communities,” said Dr. Jonathan Woodward, vice president of Teaching & Learning and Community Campus. “Our partnership with the Lowe’s Foundation has already helped us expand opportunities for students to gain the skills and credentials employers need. Through the Building Futures Skilled Trades Coalition, we can build on that work, share successful approaches, and create even stronger pathways from education and training to high-demand careers.”

The Building Futures Skilled Trades Coalition includes corporate leaders NVIDIA, AT&T, Bank of America, Carrier, General Motors, DEWALT and Duke Energy, along with educators, workforce organizations and other stakeholders from across the skilled trades ecosystem.

The United States is facing a significant skilled trades labor shortage as experienced workers retire and infrastructure investments increase. An estimated 2.1 million skilled trades jobs could go unfilled by 2030, according to the U.S. Department of Education, creating potential economic losses of up to $1 trillion annually.

“The next industrial revolution won’t be built by algorithms alone. It will be built by the millions of skilled trade professionals who power, connect and move this country forward,” said Marvin Ellison, Lowe’s chairman and CEO. “For nearly four years, our foundation’s sole focus has been helping thousands of people enter the skilled trades by investing in America’s most innovative workforce training programs. Today through this coalition, we are answering the call from hundreds of existing partners to lead an even larger unified national effort that will redefine what’s possible when leaders from different sectors rally behind a common purpose.”

Recognizing that workforce challenges extend across industries, the coalition will strengthen every stage of the talent pipeline, from recruitment to career advancement. Members will work together to shape the future of the skilled trades workforce with three primary goals:

• Change perceptions of careers in the skilled trades by challenging outdated narratives and increasing awareness of the respected, purpose-driven and rewarding careers available in skilled trades professions.
• Invest in, connect and scale proven training and credentialing solutions by bringing together educators, businesses, workforce organizations and other stakeholders to address shared workforce challenges and expand successful approaches.
• Collectively measure progress from training to employment by establishing shared measures to identify gaps, track outcomes and strengthen connections between training providers and employers.

The coalition builds on the Lowe’s Foundation’s Gable Grants program, launched in 2023. The program now includes 73 community colleges and nonprofit organizations across 30 states working to expand innovative skilled trades training programs. The foundation recently expanded its mission with a $250 million investment aimed at helping train and develop 250,000 tradespeople by 2035.

MGCCC’s two Gable Grants have supported programs and initiatives in areas including Electrical Technology, Construction Management, Drafting and Design Technology, Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology, and Internet of Things. The college’s 2025 grant also supports evening Electrical Technology courses, faculty positions, a Construction Skills Lab/makerspace, student scholarships and expanded pathways to internships and apprenticeships.

In addition to the seven corporate leaders, coalition members include the National Association of Home Builders, National Center for Construction Education and Research, SkillsUSA and Carhartt. Additional coalition members, commitments and progress updates will be announced as implementation continues.

More information about the Building Futures Skilled Trades Coalition is available through the Lowe’s Foundation coalition website.