The construction industry has traditionally been male dominated, with women being significantly underrepresented especially in the skilled trades. However, there is a growing recognition of the value that women bring to the workforce, and increasing efforts are being made to promote gender equality and diversity within the industry. Learning and development (L&D) leaders can play an essential role in supporting women in construction by implementing strategies to empower the female workforce.
According to Catalyst’s 2023 “Women on the Front Line: Enabling them to Thrive, Stay and Perform” report, training has been identified as one of the top factors people look for when choosing their next career, yet the construction industry has been slow at embracing this mindset of continuous learning. As the industry finds itself in a critical labor shortage with people retiring faster than they can recruit new hires, focusing on women has become more important than ever.
However, to recruit and retain women in the skilled trades, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research 2021 study, “A Future Worth Building: What Tradeswomen Say about the Change They Need in the Construction Industry,” found that it is essential to offer training and development programs designed specifically for their craft and to accommodate their aspirations to learn new skills and advance their careers.
Why More Women Aren’t in Construction
Historically, girls are not exposed to these types of skills as often as boys are during early development. According to the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education and a 2022 Abilene Christian University doctoral dissertation by Ethel Clayton, “The national estimates for women in secondary and postsecondary construction-based education programs range between 10% to 20%.”
In 2023, The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) published “In Her Own Words: Improving Project Outcomes,” based on 29 focus groups conducted with 176 trades women and a survey that reached another 770 women in construction. This research found that the majority of women get into the industry for the pay, but most stay because of the L&D opportunities. The women talked about the importance of this training not only for financial reward but also for the personal empowerment as they progress in the programs.
The participants stated that without training programs and information posted on project sites about how the training would benefit them, they would not have been able to learn the skills necessary to perform their jobs effectively and start advancing. In addition, the benefit to retention was evident when the women talked openly about the sense of loyalty they felt to the companies that invested in their training.
Another important type of training companies need to focus on to attract and retain women is leadership training. NCCER’s research found that 57% of the women had never had a female supervisor during their time in the industry, but 69% of them indicated they want to be in leadership roles at some point in their careers.
However, based on peer-reviewed research by Lisa Worral et al., in the journal, “Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management,” in order to aspire to leadership roles in a company, individuals need to be able to see themselves in those positions. This type of visible discrepancy affects not only individual companies, but the industry as a whole.
L&D’s Role in Empowering More Women Leaders in the Skilled Trades
One of the most obvious contributing factors to this disparity in the skilled trades is that typically, foremen and superintendents come up through the trades, so it only makes sense that with fewer women in the skilled trades, there are fewer women in those leadership positions. Recruiting more women can certainly help increase the pool to choose from but without clear pathways for advancement and visibility of women in supervisory positions, skills training will not be enough.
With this in mind, companies need to develop and implement a plan to identify women early in their careers who have the leadership traits they are seeking. Interestingly, NCCER’s research found that women bring certain unique qualities to project sites, and these same characteristics are typically identified by companies as what they are looking for in future field leaders.
Research from NCCER’s report showed that women tend to be better communicators than men, and they adhere more closely to established policies, show concern for team members and their performance and practice better safety. Furthermore, having a leadership track specifically for women is not only a good motivator and retention tool for the women in the field, but also beneficial for the company culture.
Research published by Bassam Ramadan et al., shows the value that women bring to the ever-evolving construction industry is undeniable, and necessary for the success of the industry as a whole. The number of women entering construction continues to grow annually, marking a significant shift toward greater diversity within the industry. As the demand for skilled workers grows, so does the need for the recruitment and retention of qualified tradeswomen. Programs and strategies that support women in the field and provide a path for professional growth is essential to enrich the industry and challenge the perception that it is an industry only for men.
