Women in Construction industry

Yes...No Kidding!

On a regular work day while I was getting work done on my construction site, a realtor showed up and asked me "Do you know who is the builder of this home?" 

Me: You are talking to her.. 

Him (completely surprised): NO KIDDING!!!

Well, That's the reaction I get most of the time when I tell people that I am a custom home builder. Societal norms and job cultures shape how different industries work. Construction is one of them that still remains male-dominated in the 21^st century. Construction, particularly home building, is always a less attractive choice for women as a profession due to its dangerous and stressful reputation. By doing some online research, I figured out that women's participation in construction (9%) is even less than their participation in mining (13%), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. I am not surprised as I don't know many commercial or home construction companies around me which are owned by 'only' women. If there are a few companies owned by women, they are not proud to acknowledge it and always fake it by having male representatives when it comes to consumer interactions because of the stereotype that builders can only be men. Most of the clients have the preconceived notion that women “CAN'T” do the work, or AREN'T strong enough to deal with an intimidating work environment with occasional harassment and inequity. It does not matter how hard you work and how good you are at what you are doing, you will always be judged based on your gender in male-dominated construction industry.

I have been working as a construction project manager in construction for years. Just like any other industry, women in construction also face discriminatory treatment by contractors and clients (pay disparity). The primary issue involves a patronizing attitude and mindset from people who ignorantly feel that gender must be a factor in how they respond when the expertise they seek is delivered by a female building professional. On every single project, as a woman, you don't only have to work harder to prove yourself but also have to fight the gap that comes along with being a small minority in the field. Another challenge is that on every single project, you have to remind contractors/subcontractors that you are, in-fact, the builder and the boss and mostly they seem surprised and resistant if they are given solutions to resolve complicated construction related issues.

Construction project management requires an environment of professionalism on every job-site which means that your contribution relies on your knowledge, expertise and personal conduct, and is recognized and accepted exclusive of gender, which neither requires nor deserves recognition. There are millions of moving pieces/parts in building a house and despite all the hurdles, I truly enjoy every phase of it. Attention to details, project and time management, strategic planning, careful contracting, communication and collaboration are what every project demands for successful completion. If you are willing to work early, long summer or irregular hours, handle stressful situations and be confident enough not to feel out of place in so many men, it's a great and rewarding industry to be a part of. The fact that there aren’t many women in construction, you’ve got an opportunity to be a role model.

“Women do belong in construction!!” represents a shift in mindset that won’t happen overnight. I’d love to see more women in construction and on the project management side just like I 'd like to see a woman president in the oval office.