Many people associate the construction industry with groups of men. A construction worker is usually depicted as a powerful man who is coated in dust and dirt and wears a hard hat. Given that men make up over 90% of the construction workforce today, the picture isn’t entirely implausible. However, the situation is changing.
Regardless of your viewpoint, it is impossible to dispute that women have been significantly underrepresented in the construction market. In reality, few industries in the twenty-first century are still controlled by men. Construction has lagged behind other predominantly male professions, such as the military, police departments, firefighters, and paramedics, in welcoming women further into the workplace.
Women in Other Sectors Compared to Construction
Women, who make up roughly half of the current workforce, are very well represented in other employment categories. Women, however, make up just 9 percent of the construction workforce.Things are changing. Construction is experiencing new problems as well as a labor shortage. It is a changing market, and it is not just for guys anymore.
In order to meet the rising demand for experienced construction professionals, an increasing number of women are enrolling in trade and vocational schools. A record number of women are also enrolling in construction-related apprenticeship programs. Construction firms around the country are getting ready to identify and hire women to help their companies expand in the twenty-first century as women ramp up to take advantage of career opportunities.
The downturn in the economy is real, but it is having a positive effect on the construction industry in terms of diversity in the workforce. With all types of construction employees in short supply, women are finding that they are now viable candidates for good employment in the industry and that obtaining a fulfilling spot in this dynamic field is becoming easier.Increased demand for construction work paired with a shrinking workforce has created a productivity restriction. The construction industry must expand rapidly to meet the enormous unmet demand for construction and public works programs. The number of women in construction should rise dramatically as many businesses concentrate on recruiting women for the next generation of jobs.
White Collar Jobs Appeal to Newer Generations and Its Impact
Since an increasing number of millennials attend college to pursue white-collar, degree-based careers, the majority of today’s blue-collar jobs are understaffed as the baby boomers are retiring. Blue-collar and trade school employees are in higher demand than college graduates for the very first time in years.As a result, the construction market in the United States is experiencing one of the most serious and persistent labor shortages in the world.It is becoming more difficult to find and employ skilled people to pave roads, grade sites, wire houses, and build bridges in the construction industry.
The consequence of the labor shortage is that the race to recruit good employees among construction companies is heating up. Companies in the construction industry are under pressure to hire more workers with the requisite job skills in today’s fast-paced economy. Labor shortage is already at an all-time high and it continues to worsen each year as the current skilled employees retire and the demand for construction grows. That is why all contractors appear to be doing everything possible to get workers into preparation and training and on the job.
Overcoming Labor Shortages
As the labor force in the United States shrinks, the construction industry has finally recognized that now is the time to widen the hiring pool, boost a diverse workforce, and begin recruiting more females to the business.Contractors, construction companies, and engineering firms around the country are reassessing old recruiting practices and actively searching for more efficient ways to hire women to fill the increase in newly developed roles in management, engineering, technology, heavy machinery service, logistics, welding, piping, carpentry, metal work, and professional construction.Women are being recruited in the construction industry for a number of reasons, including financial gain. These businesses are now recognizing what industry analysts and academics have been saying for a long time, that diversity and inclusion are good for the economy.