The Rosendin Foundation introduced 102 middle school students to construction careers during its fourth annual TRF Camp Build, giving campers hands-on experience with professional tools and the skills used across the skilled trades.
The free camps were held over 21 days in McKinney and Austin, Texas; Huntersville, North Carolina; Sterling, Virginia; and Commerce, California. Students in grades six through nine worked alongside professional electricians and builders while learning tool safety and how to cut and drill wood, bend conduit, run electrical wire, pour concrete and paint.
Campers put those skills to work building lamps, birdhouses, storage bins, sculptures and other projects. They also were introduced to Building Information Modeling technology used on construction jobsites. Each student received a bag of professional-grade tools to continue building at home.
Inside TRF Camp Build
“These kids arrive nervous and unsure and they leave with real skills, real tools and real confidence in what they can build,” says Rhea Keator, Operations and Communications Manager for The Rosendin Foundation. “That kind of transformation in a single week is something they carry with them long after camp ends.”
The program comes as contractors continue to face challenges finding skilled workers. According to the 2026 Construction Hiring and Business Outlook from Associated General Contractors, 82% of firms report difficulty filling hourly craft positions while 80% have difficulty filling salaried openings.
Camp Build is designed to introduce students to potential career paths at an age when many are beginning to think about their futures. Volunteers from Rosendin Electric and Modular Power Solutions led programming alongside local training organizations and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers locals.
The camps also received support from Milwaukee Tool, DeWalt, The Swinerton Foundation, Border States, Graybar, United Rentals and Sherwin-Williams, among other industry partners.
