The Evolving Role of Gender In The Construction Industry

Turning trends, traditions, and stereotypes on their ear, increasing numbers of women are joining men in the construction business. Women currently hover at 10% of construction site workers. The number is even smaller among women in other areas of the construction field. The industry, though, must meet women head on if it is to continue to grow.

Corporate CEOs, firefighters, police officers, truckers, and farmers are a few of the areas where women have taken their share of leadership. While women have made amazing strides in other previously male-dominated fields, the construction industry has remained somewhat stagnant. Women are becoming more and more equipped, though, to take on the high-paying, physically demanding jobs of the construction site. 

At the same time, women with degrees in economics, management, law, and business, are taking on executive roles in the construction boardroom. When given the opportunity to engage with other industry executives, women can do a variety of innovative things for the construction commerce:

• Women can lobby for changes in legislation.
• Women can recruit other women into their ranks.
• Women can own real estate and construction companies.
• Women can undergird the female segment of the site crew.
• Women can join forces to change industry-wide hiring practices.

By fostering peer support, mentor relationships, and woman-to-woman advocacy, women inadvertently help expand their role in construction fields. By working with women-owned firms, the playing field sees increased balance for women paving new roads in the building industry. By joining forces and joining industry groups and organizations, women thrive together.

The entire industry must continue to pave the way for job bids, needed funding, boardroom participation, industry-wide advocacy, and eased barriers to entry. The number of female construction workers, executives, and board members are on the rise and here to stay. As the role of gender continues to evolve in construction, the entire industry profits.