When you think of an industry dominated by men, construction might be one of the first that comes to mind.
Of all the people working in construction, women hold only 10.9% of the construction jobs in the United States. As of 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that women make up about one in 10 workers in the construction workforce.
As women make up 47% of all employed individuals, the construction industry only benefits from about 1.25% of women in its workforce. Several factors explain this enormous gender gap, including unconscious gender bias, a lack of adequate training and negative perceptions of women working in construction. Despite these barriers, women continue to build their path in the industry. The rate of women in construction in the United States has grown by 2% since 2011, when women made up only 8.9% of the construction labor force.
The BLS lso estimates that the construction industry will grow by 4% between 2021 and 2031. That’s about 168,500 new jobs each year over the decade. With this fast and steady growth, companies are looking to recruit more women than ever before to bring their skill sets into the field.
What Can Women Do in Construction?
Women can take on any construction job in the industry. However, they are currently severely underrepresented in trade and executive positions. As of 2020, women in construction mostly held office and sales positions.
Here’s a further breakdown of where women work within the construction industry:
Office roles: 87%
Tradespeople: 2.5%
Staff executive positions: 14%
Line of executive positions: 7%
Despite the above statistics, many organizations are making efforts to promote more women into leadership positions, and women working in the industry are inspiring younger generations to follow in their footsteps.
Learning Resources for Women in Construction
To enter a growing yet competitive field like construction, women must have access to resources that address their specific needs in the industry. Fortunately, companies and associations are increasing their efforts to promote women within their organizations and educate young women about the benefits of working in the industry.
Women’s Organizations
Nationally recognized groups like the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and Women Construction Owners & Executives USA provide mentorship, marketing and networking opportunities to help women who are new to the construction industry.
Construction Courses and Educational Materials
In certain areas of the country, large construction companies collaborate with the local community to offer courses and boot camp programs for young girls and women interested in the industry. Many cities also offer apprenticeship programs that strive to recruit women, prepare them for exams and train them with job-specific skills.
Construction Forums and Conferences
Many conferences celebrate and discuss the topic of women in construction. NAWIC’s Annual Conference includes professional seminars and workshops for women, while the Groundbreaking Women in Construction conference provides management training and teaches women how to bridge pay gaps in their workplace.
In addition to conferences, women can stay up to date in the industry with blogs like Constructing Equality and Tradeswomen, which aim to tackle diversity issues, provide original research, highlight scholarship opportunities and share personal stories and anecdotes.
Diversity Drives Performance
Although more diverse representation in the construction industry isn’t a reality today, this report by McKinsey & Co. reveals that the most gender-diverse companies are 25% more likely to achieve above-average profitability than companies with less diversity. After a year of industry-wide growth in 2021, hiring more women is an optimal way to capitalize on that expansion.
That report found that construction companies with more women in executive line roles experienced above-average financial performance compared to companies that didn’t. When women filled 30% or more of executive-level positions, those companies had a 48% likelihood of outperforming their least diverse competitors.
Although more diversity brings about more success, Randstad found that women executives are more likely to occupy staff roles (14%) than line roles (7%). This starkly contrasts men in executive roles, with 33% operating as staff executives and 46% as line executives.
How Can Construction Companies Recruit More Women?
There is still work to be done to include women in construction. To increase recruitment and improve retention, companies must acknowledge and remove gender bias from their work culture, develop training programs and local mentorship groups specific to women’s needs, include more women in the hiring process and encourage women to become role models for other women. Additionally, schools and educational programs must highlight the value of construction and STEM jobs for women so young girls can see the industry as a viable career path.
The current labor shortage in the industry presents an opportunity to hire even more women in construction jobs. As advancements in construction technology have grown, many companies are hesitant to try them out for various reasons, including a lack of staff. Hiring and training women in the IT departments of construction companies can help with the staff shortage and improve companies’ diversity.
Although there are obstacles for women entering construction, diversity is a proven asset in driving profitability and a key component in solving the construction industry’s labor shortage. With more and more groundbreaking women chipping away at gender norms and leveling the playing field, the industry is taking more significant steps to become a more diverse and inclusive space for future generations.
Contact Six Contracting to learn more about our advocacy for women in construction, and our industry programs available for women to continually break new ground in the construction industry - info@sixcontracting.com
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