Home Depot Is More Than A Store — Here's What To Know About The Path To Pro Program

Back in 2021, hardware store giant Home Depot launched its Path to Pro program as a new way to make jobs in construction, plumbing, and other crucial trades more accessible. As the program's name suggests, the Path to Pro program is specifically designed for individuals who want to work in one of these fields but don't yet have the experience necessary to do so. It's a response to the skilled labor shortage in the U.S., with roughly 400,000 open positions in these fields as of January 2025.

Path to Pro gives interested individuals free resources, training, and direct connections between jobseekers and employers. Plus, partnerships with organizations such as the Home Builders Institute, Construction Ready, the SkillPointe Foundation, and Atlanta Technical College help the program reach military bases, high schools, underserved communities, and beyond. Since its launch, the program has trained more than 60,000 people and introduced more than 490,000 others to skilled trades. That's way ahead of the program's initial goal to train 20,000 people, which the program managed to surpass six years ahead of schedule.

Path to Pro is split into three main components, all completely free to use: the Path to Pro site, the Path to Pro Skills Program, and the Path to Pro Network. The program's website serves as a central hub for all of its resources, complete with information for students, parents, educators, and anyone else who might be curious about starting over in skilled trades. The site also includes free guides on things like how to prepare for a career in a trade, how to create a standout portfolio, and how to connect with hiring professionals.

The Skills Program gives out free, on-demand, virtual training in both English and Spanish. Its online courses are structured in such a way that students can learn basic trade skills, safety practices, and soft-skill development at their own pace. There is no cap on enrollment, and anyone 18 or older can register.

Then, there's the Path to Pro Network. This is a professional platform, similar to something like LinkedIn, that connects newly trained candidates directly with Home Depot's Pro Xtra members — think contractors and small business owners — looking for people to hire. These pros can review candidates' portfolios, post jobs, and hire tradespeople based on factors like experience, certifications, and location.

There are now more than 100,000 job candidates on the Path to Pro Network and over 66,000 jobseekers on the platform nationwide. While the Path to Pro Skills Program and the Path to Pro Network are open to everyone, Home Depot has gone out of its way to reach out to people who especially need work. This includes military veterans, high schoolers, and people in underserved communities across the U.S.

The Path to Pro Military Program is currently in place across 10 U.S. military bases. It gives service members a chance to get their all-important pre-apprenticeship certification (PACT). This is a way for military personnel to translate their technical and leadership experience into civilian careers in trades.

Meanwhile, the High School and Youth Program does something similar by introducing younger students to the trades through fun, hands-on training opportunities. By reaching students early on, the idea is to change perceptions of the trades and establish them as strong, respected career options. Together, the Home Depot and the Path to Pro program have helped make it easier to start working in a trade. Best of all, it's completely free.