The Home Depot has launched a jobseeker marketplace called the Path to Pro Network, designed to connect skilled tradespeople to hiring trades professionals in the construction and home improvement industries. The new network is part of Home Depot’s larger Path to Pro program, created to help address a growing skilled labor shortage in the U.S. and build the next generation of trade professionals.
A survey by The Home Depot in partnership with Morning Consult found that 50% of trade professionals say that determining whether an applicant is qualified for a job is an obstacle to hiring. Pathtopro.com aims to solve this problem by letting professionals create a profile, upload their resume and add photos of their work so they can connect with The Home Depot’s Pro customers looking to hire in their local area. The network also features skill badges that indicate if someone has accredited training, is a U.S. military veteran or has graduated from The Home Depot’s free trades training program.
“There is not a leading jobseeker platform for the skilled trades, and The Home Depot is committed to connecting skilled tradespeople with our Pro customers for jobs,” said Eric Schelling, VP of Global Talent Acquisition at The Home Depot in a statement. “The Path to Pro Network was designed to provide jobseekers with new career networking opportunities in the trades. Building a profile in the Path to Pro Network is the best way to showcase to potential employers that you have what it takes to work in the skilled trades.”
Home Depot’s investment in its professional customers has been paying off for the company. The retailer reported record sales in Q1 2022 while rival Lowe’s posted a sales decline — and the difference was partially attributed to 75% of Lowe’s sales come from DIY (non-professional) customers, compared to 45% at Home Depot. Cold weather and inflation turned amateur customers away, but professionals keep shopping year-round.
Advertisement
Home Depot’s performance remained strong in Q2 2022, when sales rose 6.5% year-over-year to $43.8 billion for the quarter. While the company declined to break out its exact DIY versus Pro sales numbers, EVP and CFO Richard McPhail noted on a call with investors that “demand is strong with the larger professional customer.”
