Welcome to Girls in Building Week. As we all the time say right here at Constructech, the numbers inform a really attention-grabbing story, and it appears the information is attempting to inform us one thing, if we’re keen to take heed to what it has to say.
Whereas 1.13 million ladies labored within the development trade in 2006, that complete fell to simply 802,000 in 2012. What occurred throughout that point to make the numbers drop so sharply? Merely, the 2008 Nice Recession. Nonetheless, since 2012, the variety of feminine development workers has elevated. In 2024, ladies represented 11.2% of the development workforce, which is the very best share in twenty years, based on the NAHB (Nationwide Assn. of Dwelling Builders).
As Peggy Smedley all the time says, the development trade is cyclical in nature. There’ll all the time be downturns, however the development trade weathers the storm, and whereas there are actually modifications that occur, the trade typically comes again stronger than earlier than. As a result of the reality is development is crucial. There’ll all the time be one thing that’s wanted.
Building employees are additionally important. The truth is, with a labor scarcity, the trade wants extra employees than earlier than. The trade additionally wants variety in ideas, opinions, and concepts. For this reason completely different generations, completely different genders, and completely different races are key.
Girls in Building
Final 12 months, Peggy Smedley penned an attention-grabbing weblog about ladies within the workforce. The statistics present ladies make up almost 47% of the general U.S. workforce, but in development they solely signify about 11% of employees. Even fewer of these ladies are within the expert commerce. Whereas it’s clearly an enchancment, there’s nonetheless a lot work to be performed.
Maybe step one is knowing why the hole exists. A survey by PWC (Skilled Girls in Building) New York from final 12 months reveals that girls are drawn to development for strong causes: aggressive pay, profession development, skilled growth, robust advantages, and job safety.
The truth is, the trade boasts one of many lowest gender pay gaps, with ladies incomes roughly 95% of what their male friends make, notably higher than the nationwide common.
Maybe the second step then is getting this messaging out to most people and constructing consciousness concerning the alternatives for girls in development. That is the place Girls in Building Week enters the dialog. This custom of Girls in Building Week dates again greater than six many years. Again in 1960, Amarillo Mayor A.F. Madison proclaimed the primary “Girls in Building Week” to honor the founding of NAWIC (Nationwide Assn. of Girls in Building) and acknowledge the rising contributions of ladies within the discipline. Since that point, the motion has grown and developed.
In 1998, NAWIC moved WIC Week to the primary full week of March to align with Girls’s Historical past Month and Intl. Girls’s Day. Now, the occasion contains nationwide campaigns, regional packages, and chapter-led occasions throughout the USA that features jobsite excursions, panel discussions, mentorship classes, media outreach, and neighborhood service initiatives.
This 12 months, Girls in Building week additionally aligns with CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026, which is being held March 3-7 in Las Vegas, Nev. With all of this converging on the similar time, there’s a larger dialog that’s taking place round ladies within the development trade.
The larger query turns into: Are we actually actually making a distinction with all this messaging? It appears the numbers are lastly pointing to some development because it pertains to ladies within the development trade, however is that development taking place quick sufficient?
Wish to tweet about this text? Use hashtags #development #IoT #sustainability #AI #5G #cloud #edge #futureofwork #infrastructure #WICWEEK2026 #CONEXPOCONAGG
