March Women’s History Month and Women In Construction Week is March 5 – 11, 2023! The Campaign for Historic Trades would like to highlight resources for women who are and want to be in the trades.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women make up only 10.9% of the construction workforce. This number decreases again when one considers that most women have roles in administrative work. When it comes to the job site, less than 4% of the employees are women.
Women face various challenges in the field, including struggling to find a sense of community. To help foster a sense of community and support, we have gathered a list of resources which provide a space for women to network.
2023 Events
Throughout March, The Campaign will regularly update this list of events celebrating Women’s History Month and women in the trades! If you have an event, please share it with us by emailing zbarnes@historictrades.org.
Tuesday, March 28 7:00 pm – Women of the Movement at the Baltimore Museum of Industry, Virtual Event
Learn about Black women in Baltimore who desegregated various industries in the city during the Civil Rights movement in this virtual discussion presented by Alexis Ojeda-Brown, DEAI Specialist at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. This program will be recorded and posted on the BMI’s YouTube channel. Free with registration.
Resources
Learn
- In April 2021, The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America and the Smithsonian Institution presented a three-day celebration of women and their pivotal role in American preservation. You can watch recordings of the Symposium here: https://nscda.org/wips2021/
- Listen to our PreserveCasts with female tradespeople:
Engage
- Join the community of blue-collar women on Reddit here: https://www.reddit.com/r/BlueCollarWomen/wiki/index
- A Workshop of Our Own in Baltimore, MD is a woodshop and educational space which hosts in-person and virtual workshops for women and nonbinary people over the age of 18.
Join
Tradeswomen Build Nations (North America’s Building Trades Unions) is the largest gathering of tradeswomen in the world. Their next in-person meeting is planned for Washington D.C.
Dykes with Drills is a nonprofit organization focused on providing a safe and inclusive space for learning and teaching. They host skill-building workshops, retreats, volunteer events and meet-ups. They have upcoming workshops in the Bay Area, Chicago, New York, and New Orleans.
National Association of Women in Construction originally began as Women in Construction of Fort Worth, Texas. Sixteen women working in the construction industry founded it in 1953. 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.
National Association of Black Women in Construction is a Florida-based, not-for-profit organization, formed in 1991 to address the unique challenges of black women in the construction industry. Its mission is to champion and empower women in the construction and related industries to reach their full potential and to represent the voice of black women in construction in both government and industry arenas.
Professional Women in Construction is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1980 that seeks to support, advance, and connect women and promote diversity within the architecture, engineering, construction, and related industries.
Women Construction Owners & Executives USA is committed to making a positive difference for women in the construction industry so there will come a time when gender will cease to be a business issue.
National Association of Home Builders Professional Women in Building Council represents thousands of members throughout the United States and serves as the voice of women in the building industry.
Women in Construction Operations is committed to the advancement of women in construction operation positions and mentoring of future women leaders in our industry. Through mentorships, education, and networking, we are dedicated to establishing a platform to share our goals and explore solutions to the unique challenges women encounter. WiOPS promotes hard work, commitment and integrity to maintain a professional network of construction leaders today and tomorrow.
Women Builders Council was established in 2004 and is the leading association representing women in the construction industry on several important fronts: legislative advocacy, new business and professional development with a special focus on leadership.
Canadian Association of Women in Construction‘s mandate is to facilitate the long-term success of women in Canada’s construction-related fields such as general contracting, trades, building products, architecture, engineering, interior design, and professional services. To accomplish this, CAWIC is in process of developing and implementing a variety of programs and services for women in construction-related fields.
The Hands-On Preservation Experience (HOPE) Crew is a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It focuses on training the new generation of preservationists through hands-on experience. This past summer, an all-female-led team of the HOPE Crew completed a project on window restoration in Astoria, Oregon.
Chicago Women in Trades‘s mission is to ensure that all women who want to work with their hands and earn a good living have equal access to information, training, and employment opportunities in the industry. For the last 40 years, they are a Sisterhood of Tradeswomen in the Chicagoland area, celebrating our graduates and their successes in building new careers for themselves while spearheading an industry movement.
Oregon Tradeswomen is committed to building upon our solid foundation, and works to ensure access, opportunity, and equity for women in the skilled construction trades. They do this to meet demand for high-skilled, qualified, and diverse workforce, and to provide opportunities for economic stability through a career in the trades to women and gender non-conforming jobseekers. OT’s programs, services, and public policy advocacy address issues of gender disparity, occupational segregation, and wage inequity.
Women in Skilled Trades promotes better lives for women through skilled trades. WIST is working to develop programs and events to help educate and inform women about the exciting and fulfilling career opportunities in the construction skilled trades. WIST was founded in 2016 and has an amazing group of Advisers from the community and the construction industry, including the Women Center of Greater Lansing, Capital Area Michigan Works!, Associated General Contractors of Michigan, US Department of Labor, and Michigan State University.
Non-Traditional Employment for Women NEW) prepares, trains, and places women in careers in the skilled construction, utility, and maintenance trades, helping women achieve economic independence and a secure future for themselves and their families. At the same time, NEW provides a pipeline of qualified workers to the industries that build, move, power, green, and maintain New York.