Fueling the Future at Dirt World Summit 2025
The ESS Foundation showed up strong at Dirt World Summit 2025, sharing its mission with more than 1,500 industry leaders. From a high-energy booth to a powerful on-stage moment, we made it clear: building the future of construction takes all of us.
Engaging the Industry
Tim Paulson, ESS Foundation president, delivered a powerful message, accompanied by a moving video that highlights a scholarship recipient and the life-changing impact the Foundation’s support had on them.
“Through the ESS Foundation, young people get their first real introduction to our dirt world —and that first step can change everything,” Tim Paulson said. “It takes all of us — contractors, educators, leaders, and advocates — to build a future where the construction industry thrives. It is all of our responsibility to put our money where our mouth is and find ways to attract that workforce of tomorrow into our industry.”
A Powerful Partnership
This event kicked off our partnership with BuildWitt, an infrastructure training organization, committed to elevating the dirt world. Together, we plan to tell stories, build awareness, and drive support for the ESS Foundation.
The attendees of the Dirt World Summit showed up big-time. At Dirt After Dark, the event’s charity auction, Emery Sapp & Sons proudly donated a mini excavator and two skid steers. As a result, $88,308.57 was raised for the ESS Foundation! This donation will help fuel scholarship funds for future builders and schools to encourage trade participation.
Why it Matters
The construction industry is essential; we know this. Yet it faces a constant workforce challenge. ESS Foundation is tackling that challenge head-on by introducing young people to careers in construction and helping fund their education.
