This article is part of a blog series on the risk of labor shortages in the construction industry, exploring how women can be the solution.

Women and men share the same threats and opportunities in the construction industry but some are more specific to women.

The Boston Consulting Group surveyed diversity across 1,800 companies in eight countries. Their findings are as follows:

• organizations with above-average diversity had 19% greater innovation revenues
• this correlation is true in all countries.

Despite the huge potential women show in the construction industry, they are still underrepresented. The encouraging trend is that the number of women working as Architects, Engineers, Contractors, and Operations (AECO) is growing. They constitute:

• 37% of the newly, well educated, hired employees
• 14% of professionals.

These numbers demonstrate that it is a myth to think that gender-specific roles are required in the construction industry.

We also hear very often that male construction workers are biased toward their female colleagues. It cannot be denied that men still earn more respect than women making the same effort. Some work still needs to be done. It is evident that the perception will change with time as a growing number of women in construction (around 300,000 in the United Kingdom, more than 1miliion in the USA) continue to deliver high-quality work.

Women are looking more and more favorably to enter the construction industry as there are:

• plenty of rewards and benefits
• career progression opportunities
• skill development and training

How did women become part of construction?

There are a lot of jobs that can be performed better by women than men. Female workers are more qualified.

It is a great time for women to build their skills and embrace a career that could take them to the very top!

Finding women working in a skilled trade or leading a team on a construction project was scarce not that long ago. Now, it is common to meet women:

• superintendents
• project managers
• department directors
• CEOs
• trades workers.

In 2023, women are designing, building, and maintaining great constructions worldwide but they are also leaders in other important areas in the construction world:

• recruitment by attracting other women
• mentoring
• teaching.

Women change the way the industry works by making it more:

• diverse
• productive
• welcoming.

Women who have succeeded in the construction industry

We have selected on the Construction Dive website five jobs performed by capable, perceptive, committed, and bright women. Let’s see what they say and do:

Kelsey Gauger National Director, Operational Excellence, Suffolk

Construction is on the cusp of a technology revolution that will shape the future of the built world. Working in the industry at this pivotal moment in time gives me the opportunity to solve challenging problems, work in a fast-paced environment, leverage technology and data, learn something new every single day, and ultimately make a real impact on an entire industry.

What does Kelsey's career look like at Boston-based Suffolk:

She started as a construction project manager in the firm’s Career Start recruitment program in 2014.

As the national director of operational excellence, she:

• works with the builder’s operations support team to integrate successful tech pilot programs into day-to-day operations
• continuously improves the construction process
• has led more than 20 tech pilot initiatives at Suffolk involving IoT sensors, artificial intelligence, logistics, and virtual reality
• served as the national director of construction solutions and the first director of Suffolk’s CoLab innovation centers
• standardized a content organization system using custom-coded data visualization for construction spaces
• trained more than 275 people to use the new systems.

Jennifer Downey Director of Innovation, Turner

I’ve dreamed of designing and building buildings ever since I was a child, and it’s so humbling to be part of something that requires the collaboration of so many talented people.

_ What does Jennifer's career look like at Turner?_

She joined Turner Construction in 2010 and is now the director of innovation where she:

• drove the company’s adoption of technologies
• introduced best practices such as virtual design and construction, BIM, and Lean construction
• launched the Innovation Town Hall to identify and scale new technologies and practices
• taught teams how to use remote collaboration workflows and wearable technologies for social distancing and contact tracing

In a previous role as national support services manager for the firm’s Integrated Building Solutions division she:

• co-developed Turner’s Lean Roadmap and Advancing Lean training
• co-developed the company’s Innovation Summit
• oversaw the development of Turner’s Innovation Challenge, an open-ideation program.

Outside of Turner, she

• worked with The Clean Fight, a non-profit accelerator that identifies and scales growth-stage climate tech companies
• serves as an architectural advisory board member for the Virginia Tech School of Architecture + Design.

Victoria Goernert Project Manager, Rudolph and Sletten

I have the privilege to be a part of amazing teams creating buildings that add value to our community. Every day I am motivated and excited to work, knowing that I am a part of building the future, and creating spaces that make a positive impact.

_What does Victoria’s career look like at Rudolph and Sletten, a general contracting firm? She

• joined as a project engineer in 2016
• completed her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, one year later
• became a senior project engineer in 2018
• was promoted to project manager in 2021
• participates in the interview process for new hires
• organizes many of her team’s social events
• mentors a young woman on her team.

Victoria has the ability to navigate a heavy workload, manage complex priorities and keep her cool in difficult situations.

Outside Rudolph and Sletten she:

• is part of the Northern California chapter of Women in Construction Operations
• is promoting events for her alma mater, California State University, Chico.

Sara Wengrowski Data Center Program Engineer, Meta

I fell in love with the opportunity to play a role in building tangible and sustainable infrastructure that is helping solve real-world problems and improve the lives of people around the world.

Sara pursued heavy construction engineering work with Bechtel Corp. before Meta (formerly Facebook) recruited her to join its design, engineering, and construction organization.

What does Sara's career look like at Meta’s partners and stakeholders?

• she created a new risk-mitigation strategy for data center construction
• she was awarded one of the company’s DEC fellowship positions, through which she is transitioning into a rotational leadership program
• she mentors Meta’s summer interns.

Outside Meta she:

• mentors women pursuing degrees in engineering and careers in construction through her alma mater Rutgers University and her local chapter of the 7x24 Exchange’s Women in Mission Critical Operations
• helped create a networking group for young data center professionals in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.

Sara has the ability to establish rapport and inspire confidence, she galvanizes the folks that she works with, and even the industry as a whole, as she gains more experience, responsibility and opportunity to effect even greater change.

Carisa Barrett National Coordinator, Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund

I chose to work in the Construction Industry to be able to support my family and have great union benefits that allow me to also work with my hands building and creating.

Of the 32,000 members of the International Union of Elevator Constructors, only 200 are women. Of those 200, only one holds a position of leadership: Carisa Barrett:

From 1999 to 2009, she rose through the ranks at the IUEC, becoming:

• a trainer
• an adjuster
• and later an inspector for Washington state.

What does Carisa's career look like at the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund?

• she started in 2009
• she was appointed to the North American Building Trades Union tradeswomen’s committee
• she helps host the annual Tradeswomen Build Nations conference
• she writes best practices for recruiting and retaining women in the trades, focusing on important aspects of work-life balance such as childcare

Common Jobs for Women Across the Construction Industry

Construction and Building Inspectors

They safeguard the building's adherence to:

• codes
• standards
• zoning regulations
• contract specifications.

Construction Equipment Operators

Operate the various machinery and equipment used in construction. They:

• run
• manipulate
• control them.

Construction Laborers and Helpers

They are involved in physical assignments.

Drywall Installers and Ceiling Tile Installers

They:

• mount wallboards
• help prepare the walls for painting
• help install ceiling tiles.

Flooring Installers and Tile and Stone Setters

They help lay and finish flooring:

• tile
• carpet
• wood
• vinyl
• other materials.

Construction managers

They coordinate and supervise public, residential, commercial, and industrial structures. Their backgrounds are:

• science
• engineering
• construction technology.

Formal education in construction can generate high income and better job roles like a project manager.

In Conclusion

Many executive women and construction managers performed well in their junior roles and have been promoted to leadership positions.

Companies and associations inspire women to:

• be involved in activities outside or inside their organization that help them to network and be promoted
• educate young women about the advantages of working in the industry.

More and more women will be hired in the construction industry so the share of women in leadership and management positions will grow.

Women have a bright future in the construction field, thanks to the high quality and huge support for women provided by associations, forums, and industry leaders, to hire women looking for a job to seek careers in AECO.

Other drivers to a bright future for women in construction are:

• smaller pay gaps than in other industries
• increasing opportunities for growth.

Women willing to embrace a career in the construction industry have to:

• build their construction journey by having clear goals to achieve their ambitions
• familiarize themselves with new technologies
• learn and develop essential construction skills.

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