McKinstry Commits $1 Million to Inspire Women in Construction and STEM

Sustaining momentum from a successful Women in Construction (WIC) Week, McKinstry launched a new Building Futures initiative to encourage and prepare more women to explore built environment, skilled trade and applied STEM careers. The long-term community investment commits $1 million by 2030 focused on early exposure and career-connected learning through strategic nonprofit partnerships nationwide.

Our emerging workforce faces increasing uncertainty about post-secondary pathways and career opportunities. Building Futures responds with early, hands-on exposure that helps students envision meaningful careers in construction, engineering and related industries. The initiative initially focuses on middle and high school girls, building early awareness and pathways into an industry where women remain significantly underrepresented despite growing demand for skilled talent.

“Too many young people, especially girls, never see themselves reflected in the construction and engineering workforce,” said Ashley Ruiz, Vice President of Social Impact for McKinstry. “We strongly believe that the next generation cannot be what they cannot see. Building Futures addresses that by opening doors earlier, expanding access and helping young people see themselves as builders, problem‑solvers and leaders in the built environment.”

McKinstry will focus on two core areas through the Building Futures initiative:

Philanthropic Investment. The McKinstry Charitable Foundation will donate $1 million by 2030 to nonprofit partners that provide hands-on, industry-relevant learning experiences in skilled trade and applied STEM careers. This includes the following investments in 2026 totaling $200,000 (in alphabetical order):

• buildHER supporting two construction summer camps for girls grade 7-10 in Seattle.
• Girls Build supporting construction summer camps in Oregon.
• Girl Up USA supporting virtual and in-person STEAM programming nationwide.
• SheBuilds Futures expanding construction design programs across Texas.
• STEMblazers supporting applied STEM pathway programming for Denver area high schools.
• Washington State Opportunity Scholarship supporting first-year students pursuing skilled trade and applied STEM careers across Washington State.
• Washington Women in Trades supporting Steel Toe Teens skilled trades summer camp for girls in 8th grade.

Community Service and Youth Engagement. Leveraging McKinstry’s Building Good program, employees can engage directly with young people each year through mentorship, career exploration, jobsite tours, classroom visits and hands-on learning experiences. These efforts serve to demystify careers in the built environment and highlight the creativity, collaboration and real-world impact of the work.

Women currently make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce yet represent only a small fraction of construction and engineering roles, particularly in frontline and field positions. By focusing on early exposure and sustained partnerships, Building Futures aims to help close this gap while strengthening the future talent pipeline for the industry.

Building Futures aligns with McKinstry’s broader enterprise strategy to develop future workforce, deepen impact in key geographies and advance equity and social justice in communities nationwide.