Working in construction has always been viewed as a male profession. Any movie or television program portrays men toiling away on the site. But, this job field, as many others today, is changing. We are beginning to see more and more women on the construction site.
Aspire Construction Group, a local excavating contractor in Prescott Valley, AZ, has the benefit of working with several construction companies and building contractors. They work with companies for land grading, drain service, and other excavation work.
Working together with other professionals and heavy machinery companies, Aspire Construction Group wants to commemorate the rise of women in this profession.
The Increase of Women in the Construction Industry
Women are on the rise! You can spot them working with paving and grading contractors. You see them doing land surveyance, overseeing a crew, or working with architects. Women are showing that they have the skills and intelligence to take part in a predominantly male area.
Women like Florence Nightingale helped to improve the layout of hospitals. She showed the importance of more light and ventilation. She helped to organize wards to prevent the spread of infectious disease.
After the London bombings during World War II, women were instrumental in rebuilding the city. They helped improve green spaces and pushed for affordable housing with more space and greater storage. They transformed the face of London.
Today, women are seen in an increasing amount of supervisory and leadership positions. They followed their passion into excavation construction, working with heavy machines, and other specialties. You also see more women in manual labor, too.
The Appeal of Working Construction for Women
Move over, guys, the women are here! Women currently make up 9.1% of America’s construction force. The outdated thought that women are raised to be nurses, teachers, soccer moms, or dental hygienists, is no longer holding true. Many consider the extent of women’s heavy lifting to be a little gardening or a lot of laundry. Not any more!
Women today are empowered through equal opportunity hiring and putting on their hard hats. Many companies are international and offer jobs in fascinating countries like China and Australia, as well as the U.S. It may not always be easy, but if it’s the right job for you, resilience is an outstanding quality. With any career opportunity, there will be obstacles to overcome.
With the rise of equality across the job market, and women demanding equal pay for equal work, we are seeing women take the initiative and start their own projects. Why wait for community improvement when you can take matters into your own hands?
Today, organizations like SHEBUILDS are teams of females. Women from all fields of the construction industry join forces to make positive contributions in their community. In only two days, they created outdoor spaces for relaxing recreation. They also update living conditions and make repairs to improve quality of life.
Companies like DPR are supporting Women Who Build and celebrating their community contributions. In May of 2019, hard-working women worked to make communities in San Francisco, CA, and Houston, TX safer, and more inviting to live.
Companies Supporting Women in the Building Industry
There are many companies out there who support women in construction. Procure is a company that provides cloud-based applications for construction companies and who are among the many who campaign to support and empower women in this field. Procure helps women seeking lucrative jobs in the industry.
And, there are other exciting initiatives that accelerate women in construction
Women make up almost half the labor force in the U.S., yet are still underrepresented in construction. You can find support in the general construction industry or more specific support in leadership, or trades.
So, you want to inspire young women to follow their dreams. Find inspiration here! Companies such as Build Like a Girl, initiated by Miron Construction, host annual events for female students. They provide opportunities for aspiring job seekers with hands-on experience in addition to specific information about the industry. Young women are often intimidated at the thought of joining the construction workforce.
Benefits of Women on the Construction Site
People have debated over the years about the differences between male and female brains. Are our brains wired differently? The truth is, yes they are. We’ve all heard of left- and right-brained people. Did you know our hemisphere is also connected uniquely? Men tend to have more connections in a single hemisphere, while women are interconnected between both hemispheres.
Men historically are the hunters, providing them with good hand-eye coordination. They also have better motor skills. But, women have the power of analytical thinking and are more intuitive.
Let’s ask you a question. Who is better at parking and driving in reverse? Men, or women? Yep! Men are. Who’s better at communicating and problem-solving? Who makes the schedule you follow at home? You guessed it! Women. The difference is in the grey vs white brain matter.
Women have higher percentages of grey matter, which is the computational brain tissue. White matter contains connective cables in the brain but typically found in a single hemisphere. Make note, these are general findings and not person-specific.
Does this prove that women are better than men? Not at all. It just shows we have different strengths. Why delegate women to the back burner when it comes to working in construction when they have so much to offer the industry?
Women today have a lot to give, especially in unconventional and unexpected ways. For decades they have been pushing for equal treatment. They’ve even gone so far as to masquerade as men to prove they are capable of any task. Say goodbye to gender inequality and hello to a fantastic career opportunity!
Aspire Construction Group is happy to support women in construction. We invite you to partake in a conversation with us. Leave us a comment to share your thoughts.