The Lowe’s Foundation announced a new partnership with Hiring our Heroes to help solve the skilled trades labor shortage from the military community. The partnership will begin this fall through a Skilled Trades Academy and offer active duty service members, veterans and their spouses hands-on training for careers in HVAC, carpentry, electrical, plumbing and property maintenance.

The Wood Technology class at St. Johns High School looks to purchase a new planer and wide belt sander, with Architectural Woodwork Institute's (AWI) Academic Grant. These essential machines that will help students and faculty modernize the shop and ensure that students graduate with the skills and experience necessary to be industry ready.

Woodworking Manufacturing Month was created by the Wood Industry Association (WIA) and is developed and produced by the International Woodworking Fair Atlanta (IWF). In its 2025 staging launching October 1, Woodworking Manufacturing Month becomes a Proud Supporter of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Led by solid multifamily production, overall housing starts increased 5.2% in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.43 million units, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.

A&M Supply Corp. will show a diverse range of samples from its well-stocked inventory of products at Wood Pro Expo Lancaster, October 23-24 at Spooky Nook Sports.

Simpson Door Co., a manufacturer of custom wood doors, has announced appointment of Steve Schneider as its new president, effective immediately. Schneider succeeds Phil Steklenski, who retires after more than a decade of dedicated service.

Eligible workforce development projects included universities, colleges, government and community organizations, and businesses that aimed to increase workforce capacity in the fields of logging, fuels treatment, transportation, manufacturing, or other support services that bolster the development of a resilient forest sector workforce.

Dutch Boy Paints, a paint and packaging solutions manufacturer in the coatings industry, announces Melodious Ivory as its 2026 Color of the Year. The company states that this neutral color speaks to a cultural shift toward simplicity, authenticity, and intentional living—qualities that are shaping the way homeowners design and experience their spaces.

The prefabricated construction market in the United States, according to ResearchAndMarkets, is poised for substantial growth. Between 2020 and 2024, this sector enjoyed a robust CAGR of 8.6%, and it is expected to continue expanding at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2025 to 2029, escalating from $176.02 billion in 2024 to an estimated $257 billion by the end of 2029.

This year, the program will award four K-12 educators across the nation with $50,000 each to reimagine and transform their learning spaces. The program is open to all K–12 learning environments, including classrooms, libraries, makerspaces, esports labs, and more.