A Rise In The Number of Women In Construction
In 2020 the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 10.9% of the construction workforce were women. The number has since risen to 11% reported last year by the Bureau but only 4% of these workers are involved in skilled trades. Most of the women in the industry are in office and administrative positions. 
The National Association of Home Builders’ Professional Women in Building (PWB) Week is coming up. This is an annual event that celebrates women in the residential construction industry. This is a time when the work done in the industry is highlighted as well as the good-paying careers that are available. There is a shortage overall of skilled trade workers in the industry and Tradeswoman Tuesday is the perfect time to reflect on this.
September 13, 2022, there will be an online webinar that can be joined for free. Leading tradeswomen will discuss how women can successfully be a part of the construction industry. They will discuss women in the industry and ideas on how to attract more women to the industry. Kristi Allen, UTAH PWB member and owner of Woodcastle Homes will be the moderator. Joining Allen will be Merideth Balmforth, a master electrician and Katy Higgins an experienced HVAC professional.
There will also be a PWB Week Toolkit which will have other activities to do throughout the day. One of these activities is reading The House that She Built book to children. This book was written and based on real-life tradeswomen that are featured in the webinar. The home she built is in Utah and is the home the book is based on.
“Now is the perfect time for women to explore the construction industry. There is a need for the unique talents and dedication that women bring to any field – including strategies for working smarter, not harder, and for giving their all to whatever they set their minds to. The demand for women in residential construction and service has also never been greater, and the opportunities are there to enter a career that promises great quality of life, earning a good living, having value in the work you do and pride in being a builder and contributor, ” said Balmforth.