Why women should pursue careers in the design and construction industry?
If you haven’t heard, women are continuing to make inroads into this traditionally male industry. Women in Construction Week, created by the National Association of Women in Construction, is just one way to call attention to the growing numbers of women choosing construction careers – and to encourage other women to follow suit. According to the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), women today make up about 11% of the construction industry overall, with the majority of those in traditional administrative and office roles. And only 13% of construction business in the US are women-owned – and that number is itself a significant – 64% – jump from 2014 to 2019.
So what’s in it for women?
Frankly, it’s a wide-open field for women these days! It’s a high-growth field, with plenty of opportunity at all levels and positions. More and more construction executives and industry leaders are recognizing that having women in the workforce – especially in the field – is good for business. In fact, better for business. While it may be damning with faint praise, the gender pay gap found in most industries (women on average earn 81.1% of what men make) is significantly smaller in construction, with women’s average earnings at 99.1% of their male counterparts. At KBE-NY, our door is always open to qualified candidates to fill roles from project engineer to superintendent to project manager to project executive – with the opportunity to move into senior leadership positions. Please explore our available opportunities at the bottom of this page.
Interviews with Women in Construction
We recently interviewed a sampling of clients, design partners, and employees to learn what they have to say about the ever-changing role and experience of being a woman in this industry. Take a read through! (Click the photos of each woman below to read her story.)
For more profiles please visit:
organizations:
- Nontraditional Employment for Women: Prepares women for careers in skilled construction, utilities, and transportation industries.
- Professional Women in Construction: Supports, advances, and connects women within the architecture, engineering, construction, and related industries.
- National Association of Women in Construction: Opportunities for professional development, education, networking, leadership training, public service and more
- US Dept. of Labor, Women in Construction: Stats and facts for women in AEC.
- Women in Construction Operations: Networking, mentorship and education.
- TEDWomen: Conference to discuss the power of women and girls to be creators and change-maker.
Career Opportunities at the KBE Companies: