Wednesday, May 22, 2024

US Commerce Department wants a million women in construction industry


A construction site near Battery Park City in New York that overlooks the Statue of Liberty is an example of construction sites that have more women working in construction and skilled-trades jobs after the Commerce Department launched its Million Women in Construction Community Pledge Tuesday. 
File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI 

May 21 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Commerce launched its Million Women in Construction Community Pledge Tuesday to encourage more construction companies to hire more women.

Federal investment is creating a construction boom across the country that is increases job opportunities for construction and trade workers, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in an online announcement.

"Women make up less than 11% of jobs in construction and only 4% in skilled trades," Raimondo said.

"Many of these are good-paying, quality jobs you can get without a college degree," Raimondo said. "Women deserve equal opportunity for these jobs."

She said an "industrywide commitment" is needed to achieve the goal of putting a million women to work in construction and skilled-trades positions on construction sites.

"I'm calling on everyone -- contractors, labor unions [and] trade organizations -- to join our community pledge to ... overcome barriers faced by women and underserved communities in construction and the trades," Raimondo said.

Representatives of seven of the nation's largest construction firms have signed on to the pledge.

Those entities are Baker Construction, Gilbane Building Co., McKissack & McKissack, Mortenson, Power Design, Suffolk and Shawmut Design and Construction.

The initiative comes as the number of women employed in the construction industry is among the highest with 1.3 million working in various positions.

About 40% of women employed in the construction industry work in management or office positions while 2% work in production, transportation or materials movement.

About half of female construction workers have children under age 18, including about 22% with children younger than age 6.

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