Empowering Young Women Through Education and Experience

The T&C Girl program, based in Arvada, Colorado, provides girls aged 13 to 20 with real-world exposure to construction through career weeks, summer camps, and hands-on learning opportunities with local companies. By introducing participants to a wide variety of trades, from masonry to heavy equipment operation, the program helps break down barriers that have traditionally kept women out of the industry.

For example, many young women expressed fear about using heavy machinery, often thinking they could never handle such equipment. The program addresses these apprehensions, empowering girls to try their hand at operating tools and learning skills that seem intimidating at first glance. "We want them to see that they belong here, and there’s a place for them," said Keller Hayes, project director for the Hoya Foundation.

This approach has already paid off for participants like Sela Martinez, a senior at the Colorado School of Mines, who discovered her passion for geotechnical engineering through T&C Girl. Today, she is on track to graduate and build a career in the field, confident in her place within the industry.

National Efforts to Bring More Women into Construction

The push to bring more women into construction is not limited to local efforts like T&C Girl. On a national scale, the U.S. Department of Commerce is spearheading the Million Women in Construction initiative, which aims to double the number of women in the industry over the next ten years. Led by Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, this initiative is tied to major federal funding opportunities, including those from the CHIPS and Science Act, which is fueling a construction boom across the U.S.

Several industry leaders, including Suffolk, Gilbane, and McKissack & McKissack, have signed the Million Women in Construction Community Pledge, committing to equitable hiring practices and supportive services such as childcare. This pledge is a part of the larger CHIPS Women in Construction Framework, which lays out five best practices for increasing the participation of women in the construction workforce.

These efforts aim to create more pathways for women to enter the construction field, especially as the industry grapples with an aging workforce and the need for skilled labor on the rising number of federally funded infrastructure projects. "There is a critical need to attract more talent and diversify our workforce," said John Fish, CEO of Suffolk.

Shaping the Future of the Construction Industry

At both local and national levels, there is a growing recognition that bringing more women into construction is not just about filling a labor shortage; it’s about creating a more inclusive and equitable industry. By offering tailored benefits like tuition reimbursement, mental health counseling, and flexible work environments, companies are attracting younger generations like Gen Z into the field. These are young people who value career growth opportunities, social consciousness, and work-life balance.

The work being done by organizations like T&C Girl is helping change perceptions about what it means to work in construction. "We need to let young girls know there are economically rewarding careers in this industry and that we want them here," said Hayes in an article on Construction Dive. Initiatives like these are paving the way for a new generation of women to thrive in the construction industry, bringing fresh perspectives and new ideas to a field that is constantly evolving.

With support from both local programs and federal initiatives, the construction industry is slowly becoming more accessible to women. As more companies commit to equitable hiring and supportive services, the future of construction looks brighter—not just for women, but for the industry as a whole.

Sources: www.constructiondive.com, www.agc.org, www.enr.com, www.bls.gov, www.yahoo.com/news, www.thedefensepost.com