Encouraging Women in Construction: The Challenges and Opportunities

Women pursuing careers in the construction industry share an assortment of challenges, making it intimidating to pursue or last in construction jobs. Fortunately, the digital age has generated unprecedented opportunities for females to pursue careers in the building and construction industry.

But before delving into the opportunities, it is crucial to understand the historical and current challenges women face in the construction field.

Lack of Clear Mentorship and Educational Pathways

Many women embarking on careers in building and construction often do not have mentors or support systems in place to overcome gender-specific challenges in the construction field. They have fewer role models in the construction industry to look up to and aspire to emulate. Consequently, it becomes hard for women to picture themselves working in the industry. Given past and current statistics, many young women are first-generation in construction and lack family members from which to draw inspiration.

However, this is slowly changing. Joining a group like the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) is a resourceful step forward and helps to connect and network with fellow women in the industry.

Using business social media tools such as LinkedIn to connect with peers in the industry will assist in better understanding their careers and navigating the varying situations they may face. Women are also rarely encouraged to pursue education in the construction industry from an early age. This translates to them not seeking or enrolling in construction-related programs. It contributes to a problem where women lack the necessary skills and qualifications to enter construction or related industries.

Discouraging Social and Cultural Norms

Society and advertisements have sculptured a mental image of physically strong men taking on construction jobs. It doesn't help that, in the past, it was a male-dominated industry. This societal stereotype has discouraged female participation in the field.

Workplace Discrimination and Recruitment Bias

Women often deal with bias and discrimination during and after the hiring process, which makes it difficult for them to pursue, succeed and break the proverbial glass ceiling in their careers. A traditionally male-dominated environment may mean the culture is designed without consideration for women. It can purposefully or unknowingly exclude and make women workers uncomfortable, leading to low retention. In addition, longer working hours and a lack of flexibility can make it difficult for women to balance their work-life and parental duties.

Further, women working full-time in Construction services in Australia experience a gender pay gap of 16% per cent as of November 2022. Getting more women into skilled trades positions can be part of the solution to altering this equation.

Opportunities Available to Women in Australia's Building and Construction Industry

Regardless of traditional views, women can develop the same skill set to work in the industry as men. A major reason more women don't join the construction trade is the lack of information on how to get started. Acquiring skills is the first step, and there are options to do a construction management degree or a bachelor of building surveying and certification through a University. A diploma in building and construction is also available through various colleges around the country.

Education and Training

Women can pursue degrees and diplomas in building surveying to offer professional advice and certification on property and construction projects. Females are especially underrepresented in the Building Surveying field, yet it is an extremely rewarding career path.

Many construction companies seek and provide opportunities for their workers to learn and develop their professional skills. Women in sales, engineering, HR or marketing can take advantage of these training opportunities on construction technology and become authorities in the industry.

Project Management

Women can seek to understand common and broad construction insights and principles that drive construction. A construction manager identifies the client requirements, engages with them to determine what and how to build, establishes a foundation, refines the designs and maintains quality checks throughout the construction.

Construction Tech

Technology is an equaliser, which is no different in construction. Like any other industry, the construction and building industry has automated operations. This means women can operate machinery and apply knowledge of construction worker safety, coding, sales, data analysis, and marketing.

Why We Need Women's Representation in the Construction Industry

When construction and building companies employ more women, they dispel common misconceptions hindering workplace diversity. And as women join the construction field, more innovative career opportunities and leadership positions become available. This also brings the competitive benefits of women's participation in the workplace to the construction industry, including innovation, profitability, and positive dynamics that women in leadership positions offer.