Skills Lab Equipment Grants Are Now Open!
We’re excited to announce that the “Explore The Trades Skills Lab, Built by Ferguson” equipment grant program is open for a new application cycle!
And this year, the program is growing! We’re proud to welcome Comfort Systems USA Foundation as a new partner supporting electrical Skills Labs, opening the door for even more students to get hands-on experience in one of today’s most in-demand trades.
We want to thank our founding partner, Ferguson, whose support has scaled program reach since 2022.
Who can apply: Middle and high schools that want to start or expand career and technical education (CTE) programs.
When: Applications are open October 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027.
🎥 Watch the video below to learn more about the program and see past Skills Lab students at work.
Know a school that could use a Skills Lab? Share this with them! Industry pros like you are often the best link between local schools and the trades.
Future in Focus: Thank You for an Unforgettable Night!
(L to R: Andrew Brown, Founder, Trades Media; Kate Cinnamo, Executive Director, Explore The Trades; Judaline Cassidy, Founder, Tools & Tiaras; Evin Jarrett, Director, Trade Exposure Network)
(L to R: Kate Cinnamo, Executive Director, Explore The Trades; Matt LaMartina, Owner, Tony LaMartina Plumbing Company; Peter Kuehnel, Operations Manager, Tony LaMartina Plumbing Company)
On September 17, more than 60 industry leaders, educators, and advocates joined us in San Antonio for Future in Focus, and together we raised more than $25,000 to help introduce students to careers in the skilled trades!
A special thank you to our Leading The Trades panelists, Evin Jarrett, Judaline Cassidy, and Andrew Brown, and to our event sponsors, ShuBee and HD Supply, for helping make the evening possible.
Congratulations to Tony LaMartina Plumbing Company, winner of our Lazy River Rubber Duck Race! See what they did with their winnings in the full recap blog.
Thank you to our event sponsors!
Explore The Trades in Midwest Design: Your Talent Pipeline Starts in Your Own Backyard
Explore The Trades was recently featured in Midwest Design in an article about how businesses can help close the skilled trades labor shortage by getting involved locally.
Explore The Trades shared why industry involvement doesn’t have to be overwhelming:
“The responsibility of the industry doesn’t mean every business does everything. It means that every business does something.”
The article also highlights our partner Bonfe, a Minneapolis and St. Paul home service provider. Bonfe builds its local talent pipeline through its own training programs, outreach at local high schools, and community partnerships with Explore The Trades.
Read the full article with the link below.
We’ve Reached 25% of U.S. Public School Districts!
Explore The Trades is excited to share that we’ll be exhibiting at the American School Counselor Association Conference in New Orleans, July 11–14, along with NCCER.
Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with both organizations and learn more about how we support career pathways into the skilled trades.
We’re also excited to offer our newly created Explore The Trades + NCCER Co‑Kit, a downloadable collection of resources designed to help school counselors introduce students to careers in construction and the skilled trades.
The Campbell Family
James Gerdsen
Anthony Cooper
John M. Cullen
Donors of Explore The Trades support the next generation of tradespeople and the legacy of the plumbing, HVAC, and electrical trades.
To our supporters, we thank you.
To learn more about supporting Explore The Trades and its donors, click the link below.