Klein Tools Inc. last month partnered with Lowe’s, the chain of home improvement stores, to donate nearly $30,000 worth of HVAC and electrical tools and equipment to three community and technical colleges that also received Lowe’s Foundation Gable Grants in 2023.
Betsy Conway, director of the Lowe’s Foundation, said that partners like Klein Tools are critical when it comes to reducing the shortage of workers in the trades.
“The Lowe’s Foundation is proud to be supported by like-minded vendors who are focused on bridging the skilled-trades gap,” Conway said in a Lowe’s press release.
The Lowe’s Foundation donated $1.8 million in Gable Grants between Miami Dade College in Miami, Florida, Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth, Florida, and Southside Virginia Community College in Alberta, Va., and Klein Tools donated more than 450 products, such as insulated hand tools, meters, benders, hacksaws, personal protection equipment, and more.
In light of Klein’s donations, Alex Yorlana, a student in the electrical program at Palm Beach State College, spoke of the importance of having the right tools at hand.
“I can’t always have access to everything I want right when I like it, so the school being able to provide it and having the proper tools in my hand really allows me to have a good education,” Yorlana said.
Daniel Neff, an electrical instructor at Palm Beach, spoke about the shortage of workers in the skilled trades.
“The skilled workers of today are retiring, and then there’s no new blood because they’ve been told, ‘You’ve got to go to college or you’re not going to amount to anything, and you’re not going to be a success,’ “ Neff said. “Success covers a lot of things; you don’t need a college degree to be a success. Success is something you schedule for yourself. You’re in your trade; you do your trade well. You try to be the best you can be and do the best work you can do. You’ll be a success.”
Additionally, the Lowe’s Foundation and Klein Tools representatives and two skilled-trades content creators visited each campus to present the grants and tools, and tour each school’s training facilities alongside students and instructors.
Andrea O’Connell, an electrical apprentice and TikTok influencer, said it’s imperative to get as much practical training as possible.
“Hands-on learning is essential for the construction trade curriculum and for building the next generation of skilled-trades professionals,” O’Connell said. “Donations like this from Lowe’s and Klein Tools can transform a program for students. Knowing they’ve had their hands on those tools and materials in class provides a much-needed boost of motivation and confidence.”
The Lowe’s Foundation Gable Grants program is a $50 million commitment over five years to recruit and train 50,000 new, job-ready trades workers to help fill the skilled-trades gap.
