Trade UP Initiative: This Old House’s Generation Next

The NKBA is committed to investing in the future. Our Trade UP Initiative is inspiring students to seek lucrative careers in the design, construction and manufacturing fields by supporting campaigns such as This Old House Ventures’ Generation Next that advocates training in the skilled trades sector.

At this year’s KBIS, the Generation Next foundation, together with its charter partners including the NKBA, presented a $500,000 check to television host Mike Rowe. The donation will support the mikeroweWORKS Foundation’s Work Ethic Scholarship program that promotes training in these fields.

“If we fail to attract new, young talent to our industry, kitchen and bath projects will inevitably take longer to complete, triggering higher costs for everyone including homeowners,” says NKBA CEO Bill Darcy.

“When we heard about Generation Next and the mikeroweWORKS foundation, our whole team immediately wanted to jump on board,” he says. “We are passionate about encouraging students to join the skilled trades.” The NKBA has long supported professional education and training through its accredited provider program and professional certifications.

Since the end of the Great Recession, the shortage of skilled labor in the design, construction and manufacturing fields has become an increasingly critical issue. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that an estimated three million construction jobs that do not require a four-year degree remain unfilled. This skills gap is expanding each year, directly impacting the kitchen and bath industry. Together, says Darcy, we’re working to close the skills gap by encouraging young people to master the vocational trades that built this country.

Click here to learn how This Old House Ventures and the mikeroweWORKS Foundation are raising awareness for Generation Next, which celebrates work opportunities that require technical and vocational training — and can lead to fulfilling, well-paid careers.