For Amanda McCaffrey, Lease Crutcher Lewis’ partnership with PCC welcomes more people into construction
Posted by PCC Foundation
Lewis employee Amanda McCaffrey explains the purpose behind their partnership:
Sometimes all a student needs is a little momentum.
That’s what I think is so great about PCC’s Discover Construction & Manufacturing On Ramp program. It gives people who may have felt disconnected from education, or who never imagined college was an option, a chance to explore a career in construction.
At Lease Crutcher Lewis, we believe that’s exactly the moment worth investing in.
As a woman in construction, I know this industry can feel intimidating. I want more people to consider careers in construction and see this industry as a place where they can succeed. That’s one of the reasons our partnership with PCC is so meaningful to me.
Our scholarship helps students continue into construction programs, but we also mentor students, visit classrooms, host mock interviews, and hire PCC graduates.
My advice for students is simple: You don’t have to figure everything out on your own. Take advantage of everything college offers, and know that employers like us are eager to meet you. We see students coming into the industry with practical skills, a strong work ethic, and a readiness to learn and contribute. As an employee-owned company, we want students to see us as people who are invested in their success — not just a company whose name appears on a scholarship.
When we get thank-you letters from the students who receive our scholarships, I always take the time to read them and find myself coming back to them again and again.. Construction can be demanding work, and on the tougher days, those letters remind me why we’re investing in students in the first place. Behind every scholarship is a person who’s working hard to build a different future, and those stories reconnect me to the purpose behind our partnership.
To me, philanthropy is about more than preparing the next generation of employees. It’s helping someone imagine a new future, opening a door, and giving them the confidence to walk through it.
Amanda McCaffrey is a preconstruction manager and co-chair of the Foundation Advisory Committee at Lease Crutcher Lewis. An architect by training, she is passionate about expanding access to construction careers through mentorship, education, and partnerships like the company’s work with PCC.