More Women are Entering Construction, but There Is Still Work to Do

Women in Construction Week is March 5 – 11, 2023. As White Cap celebrates women in the construction industry, we’re exploring the factors that make the industry more diverse than ever.?

Construction typically has been a male-dominated field, but that’s changing. Today, women make up 10.9% of the construction industry [1]. That growth is spurred by the significant number of Hispanic women entering the field. According to The Washington Post, the number of Hispanic women in construction has soared 117% over the past six years [2].

Various factors are driving the increase of women working in construction, including greater demand for skilled labor, abundant job opportunities, open leadership positions, a smaller gender pay gap, and ample networking opportunities that enable women to advance in their careers. There is also a demand for more diverse voices in a very old industry, new voices that can spur collaboration and innovation and encourage companies to rethink how they do things.

Another factor driving this increase is a greater understanding of how diverse workforces can benefit construction. Successful construction companies understand that diversity and inclusion lead to greater creativity in the workplace and that different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives strengthen the trade and enrich all those within it. Not to mention diverse workforces lead to increased performance and profitability.?

In contrast, homogenous workforces often have narrow skillsets and mindsets that are ill-equipped to meet challenges and recognize opportunities for innovation.

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An Unexpected Career

Shannon Herrity, White Cap’s Director - Commodities, never set out to have a career in construction. Still, after graduating college with a degree in psychology, she accepted a position at a building products company?and loved it. That sparked a career that spanned 22 years, took her across the country, and provided ample opportunities to lead and grow.

She notes that over her career, she’s seen the industry evolve.

“It used to be that you’d find women more in administrative or back-office positions, more helper-oriented roles,” she says. “Now more leadership positions are available, which is good for the industry because women tend to lead more collaboratively and inclusively, which benefits everyone.”

Herrity says one of the most fulfilling aspects of her career has been the chance to lead.

“It’s a great responsibility, provides the opportunity to set an example and show others what’s possible, and upends the status quo,” she says. “One of my greatest joys has been to lead teams and watch those team members grow and evolve into leaders.”

According to Herrity, women entering the construction industry have a lot to offer, and she encourages them to jump at the chance to lead.

“The industry is becoming more open to diverse viewpoints, and by seeking leadership opportunities, women can set the tone of their organizations. That doesn’t mean waiting around for a leadership role or title. It means seeking out opportunities and taking the initiative to lead in whatever role they’re in.”

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A More Predictable Path

Unlike Herrity, Guiomar Obregón knew she was bound for a career in construction from a young age. Both of her parents were civil engineers, and she attended Georgia Tech as part of the civil engineering program. After graduating, Obregón co-founded Precision 2000 (P2K), an Atlanta-based civil infrastructure engineering firm. The company will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year.?

Obregón knows construction can be intimidating for women. When P2K launched, she was one of the only female leaders in the industry, but that didn’t bother her.

“I didn’t pay that much attention to it because I was used to being one of the only women in the field,” she says. “When I was at George Tech studying civil engineering, I was one of the few women in the program, so this wasn’t much different.”

Obregón has seen increased construction trade association participation as more diverse candidates seek education, business development, and advocacy opportunities. She worked with the Georgia Hispanic Construction Association to launch the Latina in Construction business resource group. The group provides a support network for?women in the construction industry to share best practices and?enhance their professional and personal development.

“Women in construction have different needs than men, and associations can help women be successful through classes and workshops that focus on topics that are of special interest to women,” says Obregón.

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Greater Push for Diversity

Dr. Amy Narishkin, a cultural intelligence strategist and facilitator who helps organizations hire and retain diverse talent, confirms construction companies are among those organizations actively recruiting diverse candidates, including women.?

“I work with organizations that are interested in diversifying their workforce and want to ensure people feel included,” she says. “That includes construction, healthcare, and credit unions who need people right away and understand the value of holding onto people.”

Dr. Narishkin emphasizes that companies that want to foster a diverse workforce must correct the mistake of treating everyone equally.

“The data shows that if leaders ignore differences and don’t see people for their individuality, they’re going to lower productivity and ultimately fail,” she says. “But if leaders can appreciate diversity, slow down and understand who these employees really are, and adjust behaviors to show the respect these employees deserve, they’ll be better able to retain them.”

Recruiting the Next Generation

Obregón is doing all she can to encourage young women to consider a career in construction. Her company created a scholarship at Georgia Tech for Hispanics and women interested in a career in civil engineering to ease the financial burden of attending college. She also gives talks and offers workshops at high schools to discuss construction careers.

“I can share my personal experience with students and explain construction isn’t as intimidating as it may appear from the outside,” she says. “I show them how I started in this industry 25 years ago, so they can see that if I can do it, they can do it, too. I also want them to know that there are ?many opportunities in construction, and they shouldn’t be discouraged by the idea that only men work in these roles.”?

Obregón says she can see firsthand that the industry is changing. As a student at Georgia Tech in the 90s, she was one of five women in the civil engineering program. Now, women make up about 50% of that program.

Herrity is also seeing more advocacy for women in construction.

“Organizations are becoming better advocates for female associates,” she says. “And women are doing a good job of being advocates in the industry for other women. We support each other, empower each other, and lift each other up.”

Herrity also emphasizes the importance of mentorship in the industry and has been proud to mentor several women during her career.?

“I’ve had the opportunity to mentor women at White Cap,” she says. “We’re having conversations around confidence, being your own advocate, and taking risks and being themselves. These opportunities have been as beneficial for me as for the mentees.”?

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What the Industry Can Do Better

While the number of women in construction is higher than ever, they still make up less than 11% of the workforce, leaving plenty of room for growth. The only industry with fewer women is logging at 10.3%. [3]

The construction industry can attract more women by setting goals for diversity hiring; using inclusive language and imagery on websites, job postings and employee materials; and emphasizing physical, mental, and behavioral safety.

Obregón says construction companies that want to recruit women must make them feel welcome, and diversity and inclusion initiatives can help. She believes that these initiatives prepare companies to receive women into the workforce and encourage them to do things differently to better meet the needs of women in construction.?

Dr. Narishkin suggests leaders who want to cultivate more diverse workforces should take a formal approach and use tools, such as an Intercultural Development Inventory, to accurately assess their ability to make diversity and a culture of belonging a priority and an asset to the organization.

“By understanding where they are now, leaders can be honest with themselves about what they can realistically achieve,” she says. “Then, they can set goals and develop a plan to get to where they want to be as an organization.?

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No Longer a Shock

“Finding women in construction isn’t surprising anymore,” says Herrity. “Early in my career, my friends were shocked when I told them I was in the construction industry. Now, when people hear what I do, they’re more intrigued than surprised.”

Herrity explains there are endless opportunities for women to pave their own way in construction. And as Herrity’s and Obregón’s career paths indicate, there’s no single way to make it in this industry.

The construction industry is evolving, and while there may still be pockets of areas with old-fashioned attitudes about what the industry should look like, there are thousands of exceptionally talented women who are changing the perception of what the construction industry can be.

Sources:

1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey.” [www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat18.htm ]

2. The Washington Post. “Why are Way more Women Suddenly Working In Construction?” [www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/11/11/hispanic-women-construction-trades]

3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey.” [www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat18.htm ]