LISC teamed up with Lowe’s to help communities where access to training in the skilled trades has been historically lacking and provide the education and networks needed to access good-paying jobs with growth potential. But that’s not all. As they train, people also receive financial coaching to help them develop the personal finance skills to make the most of their new income.
In regions across the country, more and more job seekers are looking to the skilled trades because they offer stable employment opportunities with good wages and a path for growth. Last year, LISC teamed up with Lowe’s to help communities where access to training in the trades has been historically lacking and provide the education and networks needed to get their start in these jobs. To make it happen, our partnership supported 14 community-based organizations across six cities: Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Twin Cities, Newark and Providence.
To date, more than 280 people have graduated from training programs in carpentry, electrical and HVAC career pathways, with one-third already placed in jobs with wages ranging from $16 to $26 per hour. Another 280 people are expected to graduate by the end of the year. The people we’ve assisted range from those just graduating from high school to folks who have been in the workforce for years but are looking for a new career.
Graduates gain industry-recognized credentials that make them more marketable to potential employers. But that’s not all. As they train, residents also get financial coaching through LISC Financial Opportunity Center® programs to help them create a budget, save money and build credit. That’s what makes our partnership with Lowe’s so special – people gain the skills they need to start a promising career as they develop the financial know-how to make the most of their new income.
Check out some of our favorite stories about people impacted by our partnership with Lowe’s.
Meet recent high school graduate, Jacob Cornelius
Recent high school graduate Jacob Cornelius was inspired by his grandfather to get into the trades. With help from SER Metro-Detroit, a LISC Financial Opportunity Center® partner in Detroit supported by Lowe’s, he got classroom training and 14 weeks of hands-on work experience to pursue his dream of becoming a carpenter. Cornelius was recently accepted into an apprenticeship program and hopes to someday open his own construction firm. But a new career is not all he got at SER Metro-Detroit. With help from a financial coach, Cornelius built his credit and saved to buy a car so he has reliable transportation to and from job sites. Learn more about his story.
Meet Minh Nguyen, who got a fresh start
Minh Nguyen worked as a jet engine mechanic until COVID-19 hit and he was laid off. Ready for a fresh start, but still looking to work in a mechanical field, he enrolled in an HVAC program offered by Chinese Community Center, a LISC Financial Opportunity Center® partner in Houston supported by Lowe’s. After graduating, Nguyen started his own business and also works part-time at a local training provider, DoHVAC, where he coaches people new to the HVAC field. Learn more about his story.
Meet Amos House graduate Shique Lillie
At 30, Shique Lillie is finally feeling optimistic about her future, she says, largely due to the extended family she’s found at Amos House, a LISC Financial Opportunity Center® partner in Providence. She describes a childhood marked by periods of chaos and more recently has experienced homelessness. Now, after graduating from the Amos House Building Trades program supported by Lowe’s, the mother of two has her own apartment and a full-time job doing building maintenance and landscaping at Amos House properties. Learn more about her story.
