We have all heard the horror stories of being the only woman employed by a company or the only female at a job site. In these situations, women sometimes are mistreated, and there are reports of some companies not even offering these women a restroom they can use while on the job.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women comprised only 10 percent of the construction workforce across the U.S. in 2018. The Office of the New York State Comptroller reported that 43,500 construction jobs were added in the state’s construction sector from 2010 to 2018, which was a 40 percent growth. But, despite the growth in the field and the increase in jobs, the percentage of women in the construction workforce has leveled off – seeing only 3 percent growth from 2007 to 2017, they reported.

However, many of the women who have chosen to enter the construction field have excelled in their profession and recommend the field to other women. With determination, hard work, and proper training, the construction industry offers excellent opportunities for a successful career for women as well as men.

Tips for Women Entering the Construction Industry

If you are a woman interested in a career in the construction industry, you should learn from the best. Here are some tips:

• The first step in a successful career is to make sure you learn from experienced professionals. You want to start your job knowing how to safely and accurately handle the tasks.
• You should be confident, and don’t let anyone put you down or talk you down. After training, you are heading to the jobsite just as qualified as anyone else out there.
• Don’t hesitate to ask questions. Take the time to expand your knowledge and get a holistic view of the construction industry.
• Don’t be afraid to seek the skills that you want so you can take on other roles.

If you are ready to switch to the construction industry, call ATS (800) 383-7364.

Women succeeding in construction continue to face an uphill battle while trying to advance their careers in the construction industry, but they are making strides. Women are working together to overcome the gender barrier and are supporting one another. A recent article in Biz Women, one of the Business Journals, explained that the demand for construction workers, as well as executives and professionals to lead the construction industry, is growing at a much faster pace. Culture in the construction workplace had been keeping many women from stepping up into those roles in the past. Between 2016 and 2026, the need for construction workers is expected to increase by 12%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many of those positions could be filled by women.

Looking at the Numbers

According to the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), as of 2016 more than 10 million people were employed in the construction industry. Of that number, slightly less than 10% were women. Of the 939,000 women working in the construction industry, about 45% were employed in sales and office support positions. When the numbers are broken down more, about 31% worked in management and professional roles with 21% of them in construction, natural resources, and maintenance positions. Another 1.5% worked in service occupations while another 1.4% worked in production, material moving, and transportation.

Looking at the Salary

On a positive note, women’s wages in the construction industry are almost equal to those wages earned by men. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that women earn about 97 cents on the dollar compared to men’s wages. With the growing demand for construction workers, women are now finding it much easier to get employed in the construction industry. Classrooms are seeing more women training for different roles in construction. Many of these women are undertaking specialized training to learn how to operate various equipment used for construction projects. The NAWIC reports that some classrooms for construction training now have as many women as men enrolled to complete the programs.

Qualified Applicants Needed

The Associated General Contractors of America released a survey that revealed 75% of construction firms had planned to increase their payrolls in 2018 because they felt comfortable about the strong economic outlook, regulatory burdens, and decreasing tax rates. But many of those construction firms who participated in the surveys reported that felt it is going to be more challenging to recruit and hire qualified construction workers this year while 78% already have been suffering challenges trying to find qualified and well-trained workers. To prepare yourself for a role in the construction industry, sign up for training. Call Associated Training Services today at (800) 383-7364 to learn more about our construction programs.

Remember Rosie the Riveter? She became the face of the World War II woman working in the big, rough factory while the men were on the battlefront. It’s ironic that the popular opinion was that women can’t do certain jobs when women did this stuff all the time without complaint.

A look at old photographs show women in factories from the beginning, and women plowing, mining, or doing heavy jobs alongside the men. Often, an entire family would be doing amazingly heavy work, including the kids. That’s not a reason to put a kid in the seat of a bulldozer, but it would be the ability of the pint-sized operator that makes it a bad idea.

This Is A Skilled Trade

What matters with heavy equipment is the skill of the operator, not the gender. There may be some factors with height in certain machines, but that is a safety concern. The hazards of whole-body vibration and awkward posture are universal, according to the CDC. Being female doesn’t make a difference when it comes to sitting at the controls. The training and experience along with the way a job is done make the difference, and it’s a big one.

Where does gender make a difference? Some employers have noticed that women tend to be more interested in improving themselves on the job, seeking out extra training. Because there can be some flak from the guys on the work crew, they also tend to work harder to prove their worth. But again, this isn’t exclusive to women. Men can be equally interested in improving and working hard.

Employers hiring ATS grads are looking for the best person for the job, male or female.