Powering the next generation of American workers

The U.S. is seeing the need for historic investment in new and modernized infrastructure, including energy, digital, and AI systems. Each dollar invested in infrastructure generates outsized economic impact, generating well over a dollar in additional economic output.

At the same time, demand for skilled trades workers—such as electricians, HVAC technicians, plumbers, and ironworkers—is growing faster than the national average. Matching the pace of demand for these skilled workers is essential to enabling the next phase of economic growth.

Skilled trades offer high-quality career pathways that combine immediate earnings with long-term opportunity. Many roles begin with paid apprenticeships, allowing people to earn while they learn. The jobs are in high demand, which can translate to competitive wages and benefits – including access to retirement plans.

Beyond pay, these careers offer advancement opportunities. Tradespeople can build and specialize in new skills as the industry evolves, benefit from mentorship and professional networks, and open doors to becoming a contractor or starting their own business.

Over five years, the initiative will deploy $100 million in grant capital to nonprofit and workforce development partners across multiple states. These partners specialize in workforce development and skilled trades training for both union and non-union employers and will deliver programming on the ground. The initiative will take a comprehensive approach — supporting pre-apprenticeship access, training completion and licensure — while embedding financial education and digital savings tools to help workers build durable economic security from their first paycheck through retirement.

BlackRock will work alongside federal, state, and local governments, labor organizations, companies, and nonprofits to strengthen effective skilled trades programs and deliver these opportunities at scale. 

Over the next five years, Future Builders will connect 50,000 people with training and support. The initiative will take a comprehensive approach — supporting preapprenticeship access, training completion and licensure — while embedding financial education and digital savings tools.

The program focuses on high-demand, well-paying trades essential to building and maintaining U.S. infrastructure.

Future Builders takes a comprehensive approach to long-term financial security by:
- Expanding early access and exposure for workers and young people to experience the hands-on work of skilled trades careers.
- Helping more apprentices complete their programs and get licensed faster by increasing the capacity of nonprofit training and educational institutions.
- Offering financial education and digital savings tools for trainees and workers, helping people manage their earnings, build savings, and plan for the future.

The initiative will focus on states experiencing strong infrastructure growth, where targeted workforce investment can unlock economic opportunity for individuals, communities, and regional economies.

Empowering millions to save and prepare for retirement is core to BlackRock’s mission, and strong career pathways are fundamental to that goal. Future Builders reflects BlackRock’s purpose to help more people experience financial wellbeing and its belief in the power of capital markets to expand opportunity.

The initiative builds on BlackRock’s broader philanthropic efforts to strengthen financial security for more Americans, including its Emergency Savings Initiative, which has helped people build a total of $2 billion in new liquid savings since 2019. Since 2020, BlackRock’s philanthropic spend, including through The BlackRock Foundation, has totaled $354 million. Grants have supported over 250,000 people across the U.S., UK, and EU through education and workforce training programs, including recent skilled trades programs in Arkansas, Georgia, and Tennessee.