As NAWIC celebrates the 25th year of its Women in Construction Week initiative, we thought we’d look back at what has changed in that time for women in the trades and in the industry overall. 

In 1998, women represented about 2% of construction workers; women’s earnings in construction trades at that time were 74.8% of men’s (https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/womens-earnings/archive/womensearnings_1998.pdf). 

In recent years, most construction industry employment has been reported with trades and supervisors included in the total count. Per NAWIC, back in 2005, women numbered 1,079,000 in the construction industry, in 2020, 1,173,000 (https://www.nawic.org/statistics).  

According to reports in 2021, women in the U.S. earn on average, 82.9% of what men make. In construction occupations, the gap is closing, with women earning, on average, 95.5% of what men make (https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/womens-databook/2021/home.htm).

As women joined the construction trades and other career paths related to construction in the past 25 years seeking higher wages and a wider variety of work schedules, research attention hasn’t kept pace. Consider the following quote from a woman in construction in 1998 gathered from “The Perception of Women in Construction by Women in Construction” at the Associated Schools of Construction 34th Annual Conference, New Britain, Connecticut:

“The construction industry in the past 25 years has gone from a "good ole boy" regime to cutting edge technology. With that major revolution, the industry has become more and more color blind and indifferent to gender. The "bottom line" is crucial for survival in the 90‘s and beyond. The uphill fight isn‘t over yet. But women now can expect and demand to move up in their career path. Our industry is fast-paced, challenging, exciting, never boring, and fun!! I would encourage any woman to consider a career in construction."

The above quote could be echoed today! While some improvements have been made, there is still much to be done for construction to continue to be an industry of choice for women. 

Bookmark these websites for the latest information and resources for women in construction:

National Association of Women in Constructionwww.nawic.org

Support Women in Construction Week each March and get involved with your local NAWIC chapter for events and initiatives all year long! 

The Center for Construction Research and Trainingwww.cpwr.org 

CPWR has the latest resources for construction workers, in multiple languages. Their site has resources for your next toolbox talk or longer safety educational session and everything in between. 

American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP)www.assp.org

The Women in Safety Excellence (WISE) common interest group of the ASSP has worked for years to amplify the voices and concerns of women in the workplace. Their Women in Safetyreport from 2018 was the catalyst for the forthcoming ASSP/ISEA Technical Report with guidance for the selection and fit of PPE for women. 

International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA)www.safetyequipment.org

If you’re looking to get more deeply involved with the design, manufacturing, and distribution of PPE, consider joining the ISEA (if applicable) or attending one of their public meetings to setter the future of PPE. 

Follow these construction industry influencers for their boots-on-the-ground experience and resources:

Utility Pro Wear Safety Alliancehttps://www.utilityprowear.com/pages/the-safety-alliance