BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE RECEIVES $500K GRANT TO HELP EXPAND SKILLED TRADES TRAINING

Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC) has been awarded $500,000 from the Lowes Foundation.

The grant will help BRCC support ongoing Hurricane Helene recovery efforts through expanded training in the following areas:

Advanced manufacturing
Electrical
Plumbing
HVAC
Construction apprenticeships
The grant will also go to help BRCC hire certified instructors and offer tuition support to students across western North Carolina.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Lowe’s Foundation for this investment in our workforce and the skilled trades that are vital to strengthening and rebuilding our community,” said Dr. Laura B. Leatherwood, president of Blue Ridge Community College, in a news release. “As Western North Carolina continues to recover from Hurricane Helene, the Gable Grant helps students prepare for essential careers that will enable them to support their families while contributing to the region’s long-term resilience.”
The Lowe's Foundation has awarded $43 million in Gable Grants to help educate and advocate for the next generation of skilled workers since 2023.
These grants are the latest in the Lowe's Foundation's five-year, $50 million commitment to help support training for 50,000 people in skilled trades careers.

“Collectively, we are writing a comeback story for the skilled trades industry,” said Janice Dupré, Lowe's executive vice president of human resources and chair of the Lowe’s Foundation, in a news release. “Through our Gable Grants network, these schools join a community of innovators helping one another effectively recruit, train, and employ the people America needs to revitalize our infrastructure.”

To learn more about the application cycle, visit here.