The construction industry hammers home the meaning of "boss lady" in 2024. The largest percentage of job roles held by women in the construction industry are those in management roles, overtaking sales occupations. To celebrate this and Women in Construction Week™ from March 3-8, 2024, let’s explore the latest developments in the industry for women. 

The number of women in the industry increases despite a slowdown

According to the most up-to-date statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), approximately 1.29 million women form part of the U.S. construction industry; that’s 3,000 more women compared to the previous year. In a recent report by Fixr.com, they revealed that this has resulted in the eleventh consecutive year-on-year increase. This is an achievement in and of itself. However, it should be noted that this is considerably less than the year before in which 43,000 more women joined the industry. 

Mandi Kime, Director of Safety at Associated General Contractors of Washington, says “I think that adding women to the industry is not only important because it encourages “non-traditional” career paths for women, but there are so many options to make a great wage and perform fulfilling work in our industry.” Nevertheless, women still remain in office-based positions compared to roles for tradeswomen on-site.

More women hold management roles

Over the last year, the number of women in managerial roles has increased by over 10%. This equates to 48,000 more women in leadership and professional occupations. However, women make up 18% of the workforce in these positions compared to the 82% comprised by men. 

Key statistics:

• There has been a 6.1% drop in the share of women in sales and office occupations.
• Women have made gains over men in management roles, increasing the share by 1.2%.
• 48,000 more women occupy management, professional, and related occupations this year. 
• 40% of women who work in construction are in management occupations. 

Yet not everyone is concerned about the underrepresentation of women in on-site roles. Jocelyn Knoll, Partner at Dorsey & Whitney LLP, says “The construction industry continues to grow, which means there is more opportunity for everyone who works in this industry. My focus is not on gender neutrality in the industry; rather, my focus is growing the management opportunities for women in the industry as a whole.” With the recent increase in women in management roles, it seems that progress in this regard is happening. 

Challenges facing women in construction

A key aspect of improving gender diversity in any industry is having available support for the minority. Women have an abundance of associations that they can join and get any support they need. One of the main ones, and the organizers of Women in Construction Week™ is the National Association of Women in Construction. However, this alone is not enough. There are still many more obstacles in place that need to be overcome:

• In construction management roles there is a gender pay gap. Women only earn 82% of what men earn in these occupations.
• Only 3% of women work in service, production, transportation, and material moving occupations. 
• Only 2 states (D.C. and Arizona) have a representation of over 15% of women who make up the construction workforce. 
• 17 states have less than 10% of women forming part of their construction labor force. 

Other challenges include safety. “Personal protective equipment (PPE) and facilities rarely cater to women's needs, posing significant safety and health risks,” says Kabri Lehrman-Schmid, Project Superintendent at Hensel Phelps Construction Co.. Kime points out another challenge saying “I think that from a societal standpoint, women still bear the brunt of childcare and domestic duties which makes the transient nature of construction work an obstacle for some.” Knoll also points out that “Unfortunately, the stereotypical biases still exist, i.e., some men continue to believe they are better suited to succeed in construction jobs, especially the trades.”

Celebrating women having the ‘keys to the future’

This year’s industry statistics suggest that the future continues to look positive for women. The shift toward more women in leadership positions and professional roles allows for women to have more of a say in decision-making overall. As we look to the future in the hope of another consecutive year of increases in the number of women in the industry, celebrating women’s presence is an important step.