What Women Workers Say Needs to Change in ConstructionWhat Women Workers Say Needs to Change in Construction

Construction Dive

It’s no secret that construction has a problem recruiting and retaining women. A new survey from the nonprofit National Center for Construction Education & Research highlights the unique benefits women bring to construction, obstacles they encounter getting into and staying in the industry and advice on what contractors can do about it.

The need for inclusion is dire for construction: Workers are retiring from the industry much faster than new people are being hired, and for every four people who leave, only one enters, according to NCCER researchers. At the same time, the federal government is heavily investing in infrastructure and manufacturing projects through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the CHIPS Act, which is further fueling the demand for workers. 

Unfortunately, construction companies are not effectively appealing to women in their recruiting and retention efforts — thereby cutting out the largest segment of the population. Women currently make up just 14% of the overall construction workforce — an all-time high — and only about 4% of craft professional positions.

For more information and to read key takeaways, visit Construction Dive, our sister publication, to read the original article.