Young Worker Doubles Pay Through Walmart's Skilled Trades Training Program

From Box Checker to Equipment Repair Expert

When Liz Cardenas started working at Walmart's Lancaster, Texas distribution center in May 2023, her job was straightforward: making sure boxes were securely taped and went through a conveyer belt upright . Eighteen months later, the 24-year-old has transformed her career and her financial future through the company's revamped skilled trades training program.

Cardenas, who nearly doubled her hourly pay to $43.50 per hour , now works as a maintenance technician responsible for fixing conveyor belts and other equipment when they break at distribution centers . The dramatic pay increase has given her unprecedented financial independence. "I was able to move out of my parents' house," she said. "I have my own apartment. I was able to get a car, and and I'm able to give more to my 401(k)."

Addressing a Critical Labor Shortage

Cardenas' success story reflects a broader strategic response to America's skilled trades crisis. As the number of skilled tradespeople dwindles in the United States, Walmart is trying to build up its own workforce to keep conveyor belts moving, refrigerated grocery cases cold, and drains and parking lots flowing. The nation's largest retailer and private employer revamped its training program last year to increase the pipeline of maintenance technicians who do everything from repair equipment to electrical work at Walmart's distribution centers and stores — jobs that have become increasingly difficult to fill because of a shrinking labor pool.

The urgency behind these programs becomes clear when considering the financial stakes. If a refrigeration system goes down within a Walmart store, it could cost up to $300,000 to $400,000 worth of lost product , according to company executives. The scale of the shortage is staggering: Consulting firm McKinsey analyzed 12 types of trade job categories, including maintenance technicians, welders, and carpenters, and predicted an estimated imbalance of 20 job openings for every one net new employee from 2022 to 2032.

Industry-Wide Response to Worker Shortage

Walmart isn't alone in recognizing this challenge. Lowe's in 2022 started a 90-day online training program for employees who want to pursue jobs like carpentry and utility maintenance. Separately, its charitable arm has invested $43 million since 2023 to 60 organizations including technical colleges and non-profit groups to help recruit and train skilled tradespeople like maintenance technicians and plumbers.

Business Roundtable, a lobbying group of CEOs from roughly 150 companies representing millions of employees nationwide, launched in June a new initiative to address worker shortages in skilled trades, including maintenance technicians. The initiative, co-championed by home improvement retailer Lowe's, entails working with elementary, middle and high schools to raise awareness. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon recently told The Associated Press he believes part of the reason for the shortages is "lack of awareness."

Long-Term Career Growth Potential

For workers like Cardenas, the opportunity extends far beyond immediate financial gains. She plans to pursue more training, which will mean an even higher salary and more responsibility. These programs offer a pathway to stable, well-paying careers that can't be outsourced or automated away.

However, experts remain cautious about completely solving the shortage. Mervin Jebaraj of the University of Arkansas's Walton College of Business noted these programs will help ease the shortages, but they won't eliminate the gap, particularly given Trump's clampdown on immigration. "For as long as somebody physically needs to fix this, the shortage will persist, even though on the margins it'll mitigate some of the shortage," he said. As companies continue investing in these training pipelines, they're creating opportunities for workers to build careers that offer both financial security and job stability in an increasingly uncertain economy.