Free trade courses announced
A surge of free, self‑paced training courses with certificates in trades like construction, electrical, carpentry and HVAC is being promoted to retail workers — programs are framed as a direct way to boost product knowledge and portable skills. The posts driving enrollment link to PathToPro resources and show strong social interest from associates seeking upskilling. (x.com)
The Path to Pro Skills Program is run through PathtoPro.com and provides free, on‑demand, entry‑level certificates in trades coursework. (pathtopro.com) (pathtopro.com) Course topics listed on the Skills Program include General Construction, Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing and Painting, with the Skills Basics module taking about one hour and Trades Essentials varying by field. (pathtopro.com) (pathtopro.com) The Path to Pro Network reports more than 170,000 jobseekers in its roster and allows Pro customers to post jobs and review candidate portfolios for free. (pathtopro.com) (pathtopro.com) Pro Xtra membership automatically enrolls Pro customers in the Path to Pro Network, creating a direct hiring pipeline between trained candidates and contractor customers. (pathtopro.com) (pathtopro.com) The Home Depot launched Path to Pro as a company initiative to address the skilled‑labor gap (program expansion first promoted in 2021), and the Home Depot Foundation says its partnerships have certified more than 70,000 participants and introduced nearly 600,000 people to the trades since 2018. (corporate.homedepot.com) (3blmedia.com) Course content explicitly combines trade how‑to topics with transferable soft skills such as jobsite safety, tools/materials knowledge, team communication and basic business resources for trades professionals. (pathtopro.com) (pathtopro.com) Path to Pro’s FAQ states the program is free for anyone, but Home Depot associates must complete training on their own time and not while on the clock. (pathtopro.com) (pathtopro.com)
