The roles women play in construction are crucial…
Women play a vital role in the construction industry. However, a lot of women don’t necessarily consider the construction industry as a viable career.
Why?
Well, for decades now, construction was primarily seen as a “males” profession. Women simply don’t know the breadth of the industry, when in reality, there are actually a lot of viable roles that women should consider in construction. Frankly, there are a lot of misperceptions of the types of roles women play in construction. Most women believe that the only roles available are working on job sites, but that’s simply not the case.
Most women don’t consider the other career paths within construction such as administrative, managerial, transportation, accounting, marketing, safety management, and more. There are a variety of roles within construction for women, therefore there is a lot of opportunity for career advancement for women. Now, like most industries, there are some challenges women face in construction. Challenges such as gender bias or the wage gap are still prevalent, however, women are slowly starting to break down those barriers.
Another common misperception of the construction industry is that there isn’t a lot of support for women in the field. However, Digital Builder identified numerous groups women can partake in to connect with other women in construction, which include:
National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC):
NAWIC has several chapters across the U.S. that help connect women in a variety in construction roles. In addition, NAWIC holds an annual conference as well as supports scholarships and programs that aim to provide advancement opportunities.
Professional Women in Construction (PWC):
Similar to NAWIC, this organization aims to advance women’s careers in construction. Through promoting diversity and holding professional events, the PWC seeks to provide women with resources to help their careers.
Build Like a Girl:
Miron Construction hosts a free annual event that provides a day full of hands-on learning for women in 7th-10th grade. This event allows young girls to gain an idea of what a career in construction could look like as well as what opportunities are out there.
There are numerous organizations that women can be a part of to gain a sense of connectiveness with other women in the industry. Contrary to popular belief, there are roles in construction for women. All we need to do is show women what they are and what career advancement opportunities are available to them. By doing that, hopefully we can continue in the right direction of increasing female representation in construction.
At Shiel Sexton, we recognize the crucial roles women fill and will continue to fill in the construction industry. So, stay tuned for some short profiles of female Shiel Sexton employees and learn about their stories and how they broke into the construction industry.