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March 13, 2026
Shaping skylines and designing complex infrastructure, the AECO industry plays a vital role in our contemporary world. While we are used to picturing men at work wearing hard hats and engineering critical structures, we often overlook the silent heroes beneath the clamor of project sites – the women in construction industry.
Mentor. Trailblazer. Champion.
Mere words or genuine plaudits?
For women in construction, these are badges of honor for navigating a largely male-dominated field – anything but a cakewalk.But thanks to the grit and determination of incredible women around the world, nearly half a million women joined the AECO workforce, around a 45% to 50% increase in the past decade. Additionally, most of these women in construction work in office and project management positions, with very few in the field.
However, can we put a finger on exactly how many women work in construction, actually?
Maybe not.
But we can definitely rely on statistical analysis to understand how the construction industry currently is for women, and how it could be a safer and more inclusive place.
Let us explore the current state of women in construction for starters, and then move on to more stats that show the way.
Workplaces and sectors around the world have woken up to the fact that women are, in fact, an indispensable part of the workforce. So as to say, their contributions to the industry make up for a significant amount of revenue, boosting economies globally.
The word ‘success’ rings differently for the following women who have left their mark in the field of construction, a trade many still deem to be ‘un-womanly’. Responsible for wonderful achievements of their own, the trailblazing women in construction have made appreciable contributions to the industry as well. Let’s go over the success stories of these incredible women who continue to forge a path of their own, breaking barriers and stereotypes alike.
One of the pioneers in the European construction field, she graduated from École Centrale Paris almost two decades ago, attending a class consisting of only 10% women. Her uphill battle had only just begun back then. Twenty years later, she now heads a Saint-Gobain plant in France and is known as one of the most important voices and thought leaders in the industry today.
Working as a project manager, she is vocal for the rights of women. Long been championing the causes of women, Theresa falls in the rare category of construction professionals who want to lead by example, not just by doing, but by including. As a result, she has been a highlight for inclusive spaces and increased support for women in the field.
The very idea of working at warehouses, driving a forklift, or tying a scaffolding might seem odd to many if a woman were doing them. However, for Jackie, it has all been in a day’s work. She is among the world’s very few female scaffolders. On a typical day, one can spot her at a height of 175 feet carrying the heaviest of tools strapped to her waist and back. From nuclear power plants to gold mines, she has helped scaffold them all.
Talk about smashing stereotypes, and how! Dr. Madhavi Latha, a professor at the Indian Institute of Science, was a crucial part of the team that designed the highest railway bridge in the world: The Chenab Railway Bridge in Jammu & Kashmir, India. Her geotechnical expertise was indispensable in ensuring that the bridge was built for resilience, standing the test of not just time, but also geological factors.
Bringing decades of construction experience as the CEO of Brown Construction Collective Plus, she also serves as the President of NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction). True to her position, she uses her leadership skills and finesse to mobilize tradeswomen across the USA towards smarter and better career options within the industry. Like many women before her, Rita, too, has achieved this stature due to her unyielding grit and determination to excel in an industry that is so-called meant to be for men.
Literally carving her own place, she is the first female engineer in India to be employed in the underground mining sector. Hers is a story of dedication and hard work paying off, helping to break stereotypes in each area she conquers underground. With Akansha, we have one more name added to the list of pioneers championing the causes of women in heavy industries, such as AECO and mining, making way for many more to come.
According to the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission), 60% of women in the construction sector have reported experiencing some form of workplace harassment. While we may have advanced into the age of tech marvels and automation, harassment unfortunately remains one of the top challenges faced by women in construction worldwide. When these incidents are coupled with a lack of support from peers and colleagues, women workers in the construction industry feel excluded and undervalued.
Being a predominantly male-dominated field, the construction industry may feel daunting to a lot of women. However, the numbers translate to hope, and there are more and more women who are taking up construction as a conscious career choice in the modern age. However, they still face challenges such as the lack of basic facilities for women. A couple of years back, the NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction) reported that 62% female construction workers lacked access to properly fitting protective equipment.
A constant lack of maternity support and skewed expectations on child rearing sometimes become huge hurdles for women working in construction. The long and inflexible hours make it difficult for women to balance their demanding work schedules with family responsibilities.
Women working in construction companies often report feeling unwelcome in a male-dominated industry. Workplaces like these can stifle the workers, leading to feelings of exclusion and resentment. Additionally, many women report cases of subtle microaggressions, overt sexism, and isolation at work. The Harvard Business Review states women are frequently undermined at work, with their skills and expertise questioned regularly.
More often than not, construction work is viewed as a “man’s job” due to the physicality and outdoorsy nature of the work. Society leaves no stone unturned to assume that women lack the physical resilience or strength required to carry out such tedious toils. These cultural barriers often begin early, discouraging young schoolgirls from taking up STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) subjects, which are great pathways to a fulfilling career in construction. Engineering UK reports how this bias directly reflects on the number of female civil engineers in the country, a meagre 14%.
Entry-level women in construction companies face a strange kind of challenge. Studies show that early in their careers, women are far less likely than men to be managers. This leads to men having a head start when it comes to promotions at the workplace. On top of that is the factor of being less likely to have proper sponsorship. So as to say, only 21% of entry-level women are encouraged to use AI tools, whereas 33% of men at their level receive the encouragement to do so.
For many women, a job at a construction firm is not merely a job - it is also a way to be part of a meaningful workforce and to uplift their community.
Be it making presentations to rock a sales pitch or creating designs that define resilient architecture, women continue to break barriers and march towards career growth in the field.
However, to fully support their endeavors and ensure other women can pursue construction as a conscious career choice, the following recruitment strategies may be useful.
First things first: encourage open conversations about career aspirations with prospective candidates. Ask female candidates to open up about their skills rather than making assumptions. Ensure that you showcase female leaders within your organization at the very first round of interviews. Having open conversations and understanding the unique strengths that a female construction worker will be bringing to the table is the first step towards recruiting more women in the industry.
Ask yourself: are your work shift timings suited for working mothers? Are there designated rest areas for women on your job site? Do your leadership and management positions include enough women? Improving workplace conditions and changing age-old policies go a long way in creating an inclusive space for women to join your firm. Offer clear and non-ambiguous anti-discrimination policies and an environment of zero tolerance towards workplace harassment so that they encourage more women to sign up for that job invitation.
Make sure you are using inclusive language, such as ‘tradespeople’ instead of ‘tradesmen’, in your job adverts. Reach out to the right publications and women-focused institutions to make your voice heard to those in need of construction jobs. Job advertisements that openly challenge gender norms and encourage female applicants are much more likely to attract the right kind of talent to join their workforce.
When you team up with organizations such as NAWIC, you open up a world of possibilities not just for your construction company, but also for hundreds of women in construction. Ensure to provide them the right guidance and support by being an effective mentor so they can naturally make a conscious choice of joining your firm after the mentorship period ends.
As an inclusive hiring policy, your company may introduce apprenticeship and training programs for women in the trade. If you want to hire and retain younger STEM talent, you can also try tying up with tech universities and vocational institutes to improve your chances.
Going beyond the matter of gender equality and challenging the status quo, bringing more women into the construction sector has tangible benefits as well. From driving team innovation to faster problem-solving with a combined set of skills, the construction industry is poised to reap benefits galore from the women in construction.
Here are the resources and opportunities made available to women construction workers in the industry in order to encourage more participation and to build a strong bonhomie.
Perhaps the biggest platform for female professionals in AECO, the Women in Construction (WIC) Week is held in the first full week of March every year. This year’s theme was a beautiful display of “Level Up. Build Strong”, supporting women of the construction industry as ever.
Established in 1960 by NAWIC to honor the contributions of female construction workers, it celebrates the gradual increase in women's participation in the construction sector worldwide. This event promotes networking and career development for female professionals, especially through NAWIC's 115 chapters across the USA.
The aim of Women in Construction Week is to appreciate female professionals in the construction industry and encourage others to follow in their footsteps. Since its establishment in 1953, NAWIC has continued to support women in the construction industry.
Needless to say, the event, featuring virtual learning sessions and industry spotlights, serves as a supportive platform for women in a male-dominated field.
Association of Women Workers in the Construction Industry (AWWCI)National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)Tradeswomen Building Bridges (TBB)International Institute for Women in Construction (IIWIC)Global Construction Fraternity (GCF)
While challenges persist for women in construction with workplace bias and a remarkably low percentage of women workers in the field, 76% women in the sector believe that the industry is changing for the better.
The rapid increase in female leadership and ownership - a sharp 97% rise in women-owned construction firms since 2007 – shows that the tables are turning at last. With 80% of women reporting that they positively adore what they do for a living, the key to maintaining momentum lies in constant encouragement and support from AECO leaders shaping giga projects around the world.
The door is finally opening, shattering ages of gender stereotypes; it is now up to the AECO industry to lead the charge and push it wide open for the next generation of women builders, technologists, workers, and engineers.
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