Envisioning the Future of Women in Construction

Certainly, men outnumber women working in construction.  

While women are underrepresented in all the building trades, slowly, the percentage of women in the construction workforce is growing. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research shows that the share of women working in construction trades is the highest it’s been in two decades!  

That also correlates to women being promoted to leadership roles and owning their own construction companies. 

To help ponder this future in celebration of Women in Construction Week 2024, Kahua reached out to our customers, partners and employees to see what they’re doing and to gauge their thoughts of what tomorrow will be. 

How are you helping shape the future of the industry?   

By doing my best work every day. Being innovative and a forward thinker. Being a part of change. --Cherie Chenoweth, Coordinator, Facilities Business and Compliance, San Juan (California) Unified School District 

I'm hoping to help shape the future of our industry by empowering girls to think outside the box and reach for the stars when it comes to their career. --Stephanie Hajducek, Founder & Director, This One’s for the Gals 

I try to help shape the industry primarily through channels I can influence ... individuals and people that I can normalize talking about the communities that come to the table but don't always get an equal start. Paying attention to that and enabling change every day in small ways ... from making sure everyone gets a chance to weigh in on a topic to correcting myself if I talk over someone. --Cari Stieglitz, Kaivolve, President 

I provide mentoring to less experienced individuals and lead by example. --Gayle Sanders, BDR Partners, Controller & Project Manager 

I am helping shape the future by engaging our students in all of our major construction projects. We do this with site visits, show-and-tells with professional architects, engineers and craftspeople. --Gloria Barrera, Waco (Texas) Independent School District, Chief of Operations & Facilities 

I’m involved in several organizations that promote construction manufacturing and design to young women and girls. As part of the advisory board of She Built This City – a nonprofit that raises awareness and provides training for young women and girls and underserved communities – I feel like I am helping make a difference for the next generation. I participate in several volunteer events each year that promote careers in construction as well as act as a speaker for professional organizations and nonprofits across the country with a similar message. --Holly Gotfredson, American Metalcraft & Finishing Dynamics, President/Owner 

What is your vision for the future of women in the construction industry? 

I'd love to see a balance where women make up equal roles across leadership and men make up equal roles in administration. --Cari Stieglitz, Kaivolve, President 

I believe we can reach a point where there is equality across every role in the construction industry. Whether it's CEOs, project managers, skilled tradespersons, equipment operators or architects, there will be just as many women represented as there are men. --Sara Giddens, Kahua, Director of Industry Marketing 

I believe we will see more female engineers and architects and more woman leading the capital program teams! I feel we are barely scratching the surface. I also feel women can and should be in the field working on the job sites; trade skills are extremely undervalued in our society. --Alyce Menton, Kahua, Director of Marketing 

I would like to see full 'normalization' of women in the industry. I'd like for gender to become something that doesn't need to be considered ... like hair color or shoe size. We are all just construction professionals. Period. --Gayle Sanders, BDR Partners, Controller & Project Manager 

The landscape is going to change so much in the next 20 or so years and beyond, especially due to technology. Buckle up! --Amy Glowczynski, Kahua, Customer Relationship Executive 

I really hope that there’s an emphasis in the public education system on more than just college and traditional careers. My hope is that both men and women will be exposed to all the career paths that are available in the AEC and manufacturing space. I do see a trend beginning once again in the school system with adding back things like shop class. There are more conversations about the trades and careers, such as project management, construction, foreman, etc. However, I would like to see more of that at all levels of education. -- Holly Gotfredson, American Metalcraft & Finishing Dynamics, President/Owner 

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See if Kahua has career opportunities that appeal to you!