Hands-on learning meets real-world impact as girls explore the built world and help close the skilled labor gap.

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- By creating space for young women to discover and learn in a practical setting, DPR Construction, one of the nation's top technical builders, and Girls Inc. are helping participants see themselves as future builders, engineers, and leaders. That mission came to life at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia project site with joint venture partner L.F. Driscoll, DPR hosted a two-day Design & Build Camp. With a projected shortage of over two million skilled tradespeople by 2030 and women holding less than 4% of labor-based construction roles, diversifying the workforce is more urgent than ever. While the camp supports efforts to close this gap, its deeper purpose is rooted in community: empowering girls with the confidence, mentorship, and exposure to pursue careers they may never have considered.

The DPR team welcomed 25 girls aged 10-14 for an immersive introduction to the construction industry at the Roberts Children's Health jobsite. The camp offered hands-on experiences that introduced participants to the tools, technologies, and teamwork that are hallmarks of construction work. From carpentry and safety demonstrations to virtual reality walkthroughs and creative engineering challenges, the experience gave campers a behind-the-scenes look at the construction world—and a chance to see themselves in it.

"There are more projects to build in America than skilled workers to build them," said Scott Sircovitch, project executive, DPR Construction. "At DPR, we want to do our part to expand pathways to construction careers and build strong communities. The Girls Inc. camp is one of the many ways we're hoping to inspire the next generation of builders and show them what's possible when they're given access, mentorship and the opportunity to explore careers they may not have considered."

"This camp wasn't just about learning new skills—it was about expanding what our girls believe is possible," said Lillian Knoerzer, partnership manager at Girls Inc. "When girls are surrounded by people who believe in them and invest in their growth, they begin to see themselves as innovators and changemakers. That's the power of this partnership—it helps girls step into their strength and envision bold futures."

DPR focuses its community initiatives on building possibilities for the under-resourced and leverages skills-based volunteering to improve nonprofit partner facilities, educate youth about careers in construction, and provide organizational support partners.

About DPR Construction
DPR Construction is a forward-thinking, self-performing general contractor and construction manager specializing in technically complex and sustainable projects for the advanced technology, life sciences, healthcare, higher education and commercial markets. DPR's portfolio of work ranges from large-scale new construction to small tenant improvements and special projects. Founded in 1990, DPR is a great story of entrepreneurial success as a private, employee-owned company that has grown to a multi-billion-dollar organization with offices around the world. Strategically focused on delivering more predictable outcomes through applications of virtual design & construction, prefabrication, its team of self-perform craft, and leveraging data to learn and improve from DPR consistently ranks among the top building contractors and employs approximately 11,000 professionals across its family of companies. For more information, visit http://www.dpr.com.

For more information, please contact:

Alyssa Sans
DPR Construction
Tel: 732-754-7113
Email: alyssas@dpr.com

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SOURCE DPR Construction