New from Lowe's: The Upskill Project

Lowe's has introduced a new program called The UpSkill Project, which aims to teach DIY skill-building to customers (and ultimately empower them in their home improvement endeavors).

The UpSkill Project comes at a time when attitudes toward DIY are changing -- and mostly toward the negative. The project will equip more than 200 homeowners across 40 U.S. cities with skills from Lowe's teachers. They will also complete a DIY project as part of their training.

"Lowe's is committed to putting our purpose of helping people love where they live into practice," said Ruth Crowley, vice president of customer experience design at Lowe's. "While consumers may lack home improvement knowledge and confidence, we know they have a strong desire to learn – and we have a strong desire to help. What better way than to tap our knowledgeable Lowe's associates to empower customers with the skills and confidence to transform their homes, and together, create a community of confident DIYers nationwide."

As Lowe's puts it, The Upskill Project "focuses on the human side of home improvement," which means "getting 'real' and embracing the highs and lows of a project."

Upon completion of their project, the participants will have an opportunity to "pay their skills forward" to their friends, family and neighbors.

"I never thought I would be able to complete my big DIY ideas without a crew. Being able to complete the project all by myself with my roommate inspired me to take that leap and go get the materials for my next project," said Aaron Jura, a New Orleans-based UpSkiller, after he completed a landscaping project.