This week’s entry is shamelessly, purposefully, directly pointed toward Mother’s Day. So inasmuch as I enjoy including video with my blogs, here’s one from a few years ago that went viral. It’s from Cardstore.com:
And now that you’re a little emotional (more or less), let’s go from talking about moms and wishing them a happy Mother’s Day to talking about women, and specifically, women in construction. Try to digest the following statistics, courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- In 2014, reported 9,813,000 people working in the construction industry. Of these, 872,000 of them (8.9%) were women.
- Women working in construction numbered 1.2% of the entire US workforce in 2013.
- Women in the US earn on average 82.1% what men make. The gender pay gap is narrower in the construction industry in which women earn on average 93.4% what men make.
These numbers are, again, from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. They also happen to be listed on the website of the NAWIC. That is the National Association of Women in Construction. This is an association that has its roots in Fort Worth, TX, dating back to 1953. According to www.nawic.org, “Knowing that women represented only a small fraction of the construction industry, the founders organized NAWIC to create a support network. Women in Construction of Fort Worth was so successful that it gained its national charter in 1955 and became the National Association of Women in Construction. Today, NAWIC provides its members with opportunities for professional development, education, networking, leadership training, public service and more.”
Two months ago the NAWIC celebrated Women in Construction Week. Thousands of NAWIC members across the country raised awareness of the opportunities available for women in the construction industry. They also highlighted the growing role of women in the industry. Sandy Field, the immediate past-president of NAWIC says, “While there are more than one million women employed in the construction industry, women only comprise approximately 10% of the construction workforce. These women, whether they are administrative specialists, general contractors, subcontractors, trades people, or professionals, are vital elements to the construction process. Women in Construction Week will encourage others to realize that construction is a viable, profitable career field.”
Women in Construction Week is over, and it’s now Mother’s Day. Of course not all women who work in construction are mothers. But this Sunday, perhaps you could take a moment to appreciate WIC Week if you happen to be out celebrating Mother’s Day.
