Columbus skilled tradesmen to be featured in national TV docuseries. How to watch

A new TV docuseries sponsored by the Lowe’s Foundation features Columbus craftsmen, putting a human face on the national skilled-trades labor shortage.

The docuseries Building Back America’s Trades follows 13 people training for careers in skilled trades like carpentry through programs supported by the foundation, including those at Columbus Technical College. Three students and one faculty member from CTC are featured in the series.

The three-part series premieres April 11 on Magnolia Network and streams the next day on HBO Max and discovery+, with additional episodes April 18 and April 25.

The timing comes as the construction industry faces a massive workforce gap. Associated Builders and Contractors estimates the industry will need about 349,000 net new workers this year, and more than 40% of the workforce is expected to retire in the next several years, according to the Lowe’s Foundation news release.

One of the tradesmen featured is Cleveland Roberts, a Columbus Technical College carpentry graduate who won gold in cabinetmaking at the 2024 state SkillsUSA competition, the news release says.

Roberts, now a third-generation tradesman, told the Ledger-Enquirer how ended up in this docuseries.

“The opportunity came as I had already started the program,” he said. “I started in cabinetmaking in the summer of 2023. My instructor loved the work that I was doing, and he suggested that I go to the skills competition. … I was able to be featured because I was going to the skills competition that year, and I won a gold medal.”

The Lowe’s Foundation is betting that stories like Roberts’ can help pull more people toward hands-on careers and help schools like CTC expand their training capacity.

The foundation simultaneously announced a $250 million commitment to train and develop 250,000 job-ready tradespeople by 2035 through its Gable Grants program. The foundation awarded CTC with a $1 million grant in October 2023.

“American prosperity is at stake,” Lowe’s chairman and CEO Marvin Ellison said in the news release.

At Columbus Technical College, carpentry and masonry program director Gordon Unrein told the Ledger-Enquirer the broader goal shows up in day-to-day instruction.

“The whole first semester, they learn about tools and learn safety, and you learn everything,” he said. “Second semester, I start putting them in charge.”

Unrein said the docuseries captures something he wishes more people understood: the value of learning practical skills and the need for more people to do the work.

“Somebody’s got to put the doors in, somebody’s got to put the windows in,” he said. “And believe it or not, if you’re good at it, you can make a lot of money doing that.”

For Roberts, the trades offered not just a steady path but also room to build a sustainable future.

“A lot of people want to go to college for a four-year degree,” he said, “but really the trades offer high potential earnings and job stability.”

Roberts owns and operates CR Woodworx in Columbus. He hopes the series will do for others what training did for him.

“I hope it inspires other people to want to get into the trades,” he said.

Columbus tradesmen featured in the series

Here’s the full list of the students and faculty featured in the docuseries. Each biography was provided to the Ledger-Enquirer by the Lowe’s Foundation and Columbus Technical College. A full list of the 13 cast members in the docuseries is available on the Lowe’s Foundation website.

James Dotson

James Dotson is a U.S. Army veteran and graduate of Columbus Technical College (CTC), where he studied carpentry and cabinetmaking under Gordon Unrein, program director of carpentry, cabinetmaking and masonry at CTC. Dotson won the silver medal in carpentry at the 2024 SkillsUSA Georgia championships and, in 2025, returned to win the gold medal in cabinetmaking. He is pursuing his residential contractor’s license.

William Franks

William Franks is a U.S. Air Force veteran and graduate of the cabinetmaking program at Columbus Technical College. Taught and mentored by Gordon Unrein, program director of carpentry, cabinetmaking and masonry at CTC. Franks was the 2023 SkillsUSA gold medal winner in cabinetmaking for the state of Georgia. He is the co-founder of Wood Haven Workshop in Columbus, where he lives with his wife, Nikki.

Cleveland Roberts

Cleveland Roberts graduated from the carpentry & cabinetry program at Columbus Technical College while working a full-time job in another industry. Under the mentorship of Gordon Unrein, program director of carpentry, cabinetmaking and masonry at CTC. Roberts won the gold medal in cabinetmaking for the state of Georgia at the 2024 SkillsUSA competition. He saw the skilled trades as an avenue to greater professional opportunity and satisfaction. He runs his own carpentry company, CR Woodworx, in Columbus.

Gordon Unrein

Gordon Unrein is the program director of carpentry, cabinetmaking and masonry at Columbus Technical College. A U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army veteran, Unrein brings diverse military and professional experience into the classroom, enriching the learning environment for every student he teaches.

With 25 years of service as an instructor at CTC, he has played a vital role in preparing students for successful careers in the skilled trades. His leadership, industry knowledge and commitment to excellence have helped shape the next generation of carpenters, cabinetmakers and masons. Known for his hands-on approach and passion for craftsmanship, Unrein remains deeply committed to student success and workforce development. He has no plans to slow down anytime soon.