DPR Construction Hosts Design Camp for Girls to Address Women's Underrepresentation in Trades

DPR Construction and Girls Inc. partnered to host a two-day Design & Build Camp at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, introducing 25 girls aged 10-14 to construction careers through hands-on activities and jobsite experiences.

DPR Construction and Girls Inc. hosted a Design & Build Camp at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia project site Aug. 5-6, providing 25 girls aged 10-14 with hands-on construction experience as the industry faces a projected shortage of 2 million skilled workers by 2030.

The camp, conducted in partnership with L.F. Driscoll at the Roberts Children's Health jobsite, aimed to address the severe gender gap in construction, where women hold less than 4% of labor-based roles. Participants engaged in carpentry demonstrations, safety training, virtual reality walkthroughs and engineering challenges.

"There are more projects to build in America than skilled workers to build them," said Scott Sircovitch, project executive at DPR Construction. "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."

The initiative comes as construction companies nationwide struggle to fill positions amid rising demand for infrastructure and commercial projects. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects construction employment will grow 5% through 2032, adding approximately 409,500 jobs.

Activities at the Philadelphia camp introduced participants to construction tools, technologies and teamwork requirements typical of jobsites. The program emphasized practical skills while providing mentorship opportunities with industry professionals.

"When girls are surrounded by people who believe in them and invest in their growth, they begin to see themselves as innovators and changemakers," said Lillian Knoerzer, partnership manager at Girls Inc.

DPR Construction, founded in 1990, specializes in technically complex projects for advanced technology, life sciences, healthcare and education markets. The employee-owned company employs approximately 11,000 professionals across multiple offices.