Pratt Institute, Turner Construction Company Establish Partnership to Grow Talent Pipeline

Pratt Institute is partnering with Turner Construction Company to increase the number of students pursuing a degree in construction management. The aim of the Pratt/Turner partnership is to address the shortage of graduates possessing both the rigorous technical foundations and the broader preparation in analysis, planning and management essential to this rapidly changing field and industry.

The Pratt/Turner partnership has awarded scholarships — equal to 50 percent of a year's tuition — to six New York City high school students: three from Brooklyn Tech and three from Urban Assembly School of Construction and Design. The students, selected after a competition and interview process, will be mentored by Turner employees, as well as graduates of Pratt. In addition to their scholarships, Turner will offer the students paid summer internships while they are in school and the opportunity for full-time employment after graduation.

Shazieb Mohammad, a student selected to participate in the program said, “I am honored and thankful to be accepted to the 2014 Turner/Pratt scholarship program. There aren’t many opportunities like this and it’s really amazing to see a company like this reaching out to us, to the students who are the next generation to go to college and who will very soon be working.” He went on, “I thought giving a scholarship like this to one student was a lot, but six is outstanding and I salute Turner and Pratt for creating this opportunity.”

Harriet Markis, chairperson of the construction management department at Pratt Institute said, “Increasing the number of construction management students will have a positive effect on the built environment. We are excited by the opportunity our partnership with Turner offers our students. The technical skills our students learn, coupled with relationships they establish and the collaborative approach to problem solving that they develop, is so vital to the future of the construction industry.”

Peter Davoren, president and CEO of Turner Construction Company said, “Turner has a vested interest in the education and development of construction managers. They are the future of our business. Given the tools of an advanced education in construction management offered by Pratt Institute, graduates of the program will carry the industry forward, driving innovation and offering answers to significant issues facing the industry and the world.”