COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)— On Tuesday, the Lowes Foundation awarded Columbus Technical College a $1 million grant for their skilled trades training program.

Founded in 1957, the Lowes Foundation is a nonprofit 501c3 organization to help support local communities in need. Most recently, the Lowe’s Foundation has started the Gable Grants program, a $50 million commitment to help close the trade gap over.

The Gable Grant program works with trade schools, national nonprofits, and community colleges to bring more skilled tradespeople into the workforce. The objective is to prepare 50,000 individuals for entry-level skilled trade professions. Specifically for construction skills such as carpentry, plumbing, electrical and welding.

Columbus Technical College President, Martha Ann Todd, shared with WRBL how the award will be used.

“We’re using those funds to purchase a mobile construction training lab that we will use to launch the construction career launch program, where we will be going to areas away from campus to provide construction skills training to students who may not be able to get to campus. We’ll be going to some of the rural counties that we serve and providing opportunities there,” stated Todd.

The lab will also be used to provide access to training for students in high schools with dual enrollment programs as well as working with Muscogee County Prison. More information about how to apply for the Gable Grant is available on the Lowe’s website.