Conference Geared To Get More Women In Construction Industry

Source: Jacob Wackerhausen / Getty

FISHERS, Ind. — The construction industry is seeing many more women get involved, so much so that there are many more women in construction than there were just a decade ago.

In August, hundreds of women who work in construction are expected to come to Fishers for the annual Women Build It Conference, which organizer Mia Farrell said will be a “celebration” of women in the industry.

“It’s a really rewarding field to be able to help somebody visualize their dreams and make it a reality,” Farrell said on WISH-TV. “(The event will have) celebration, connection, collaboration, all of those things to help get like-minded women together and provide the opportunity for those things to happen.”

Farrell has worked in construction doing design work for about 15 years.

In 2022, 10.9 percent of the construction workforce was made up of women. The increasing number of women in construction is an international trend as well with 14 percent of construction workers in the UK in 2022 being women.

“It’s getting better. We’re more relevant, more prevalent than ever,” Farrell said. “We’re always looking for more women to join the industry. There’s all kinds of avenues. Home building, real estate, design, trades. Trades are always looking for people willing to learn.”

Jobs in the trades are still overwhelmingly dominated by men. Many experts say a lack of information, poor access to apprenticeships, and even bias have played a role in why more women don’t consider jobs in the trades.

In 2020, the number of women in construction decreased due to the pandemic, but those numbers have since started to rebound.