Empowering Women in Building
Date Posted: February 19, 2020
Posted In: Ideas, Workforce,
From Builder and Developer Magazine:
by Ileana Holguin, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. understands that diversity is essential to be a healthy company. It helps to introduce new perspectives and ultimately drives better outcomes for clients, communities and employees. With a commitment to diversity and inclusion rooted in our culture, McCarthy is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of women in construction.
In today’s workforce, women are grossly underrepresented in the construction industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women make up approximately under 10 percent of the construction workforce in comparison to other industries. Why is this? One of the main reasons is due to the lack of education of young women about what a career in today’s construction industry entails and the variety of opportunities for rewarding careers. This knowledge gap around how women can contribute to the construction profession leads to unconscious biases among both genders about women in construction. For example, many view a career in construction as a job for men or that it’s too difficult for women to be successful in a construction role, which are simply not true.
At McCarthy we believe the only way to address this stigma is to understand these biases for both men and women, and work together with others in the industry in the interest of both current and future generations in the construction industry. One important step we are taking is working to introduce young women to the construction industry at an early age. Most women I know, including myself, “fell” into this sector. We didn’t grow up thinking we wanted to be builders. If we present young women with the options at an earlier age, they will have the opportunity to give a career in construction more consideration.
As a part of this effort, we created the McCarthy Partnership for Women, a national employee resource group providing opportunities, support and a network for our female employee-partners. This executive-sponsored and employee-driven group propels the recruitment, development and retention of the best women in the construction industry to broaden McCarthy’s diversity of perspective and offer our female employees opportunities for personal and professional development, internal and external networking, and a platform for sharing goals and exploring solutions. Participants also join in community outreach to young women considering options for their future and fostering a diverse, inclusive workplace within the construction community.