Construction employers continue to compete for skilled workers while developing longer-term career pathways, and DPR Construction has received recognition for its workplace practices. Great Place to Work and Fortune ranked DPR No. 8 in the large-company category of the 2026 Fortune Best Workplaces in Construction list.
The Santa Clara, California-based builder received the recognition for the first time. The announcement was made Oct. 6, during Careers in Construction Month, which highlights employment opportunities across the construction industry.
DPR’s workforce strategy includes opportunities for employees to gain experience across different areas of project delivery and move between field and office positions. Employees can also pursue expanded technical responsibilities or leadership roles as their careers develop.
An example is DPR’s Builder Development Program, an 18-month program designed for employees early in their construction careers. Participants work across multiple aspects of project delivery while building technical knowledge and gaining exposure to different construction functions.
The approach comes as construction companies face continued pressure to recruit and retain workers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 587,000 annual openings in construction and extraction occupations between 2025 and 2035, reflecting both industry growth and the need to replace workers leaving the occupations.
The Fortune Best Workplaces in Construction ranking is based on employee survey data collected by Great Place to Work. More than 64,000 employees at Great Place to Work Certified companies in the construction sector participated in the survey process used for the 2026 list.
The evaluation considers employees’ workplace experiences across job roles, work arrangements and demographic groups. The methodology is intended to assess whether companies provide consistent positive workplace outcomes across their workforce.
DPR also reported that 97% of surveyed employees said earlier this year that the company is a great place to work. The company was also included on the 2026 PEOPLE Companies That Care list.
Workplace recognition can provide construction employers with another measure of how their workforce programs are performing as the industry seeks to strengthen recruitment and retention. Career development programs that expose employees to multiple construction functions can also help employers build internal talent pipelines and support movement into specialized and leadership positions.
For contractors and construction owners, workforce development remains closely tied to project execution, particularly as companies compete for experienced field personnel and future project leaders.
Source: DPR Construction.
