The workplace has been radically changed by the COVID-19 pandemic, creating a critical gap that must be addressed during America’s comeback: the mass exodus of women from the American workforce. Five million women have lost or left their jobs in the past year. In December 2020 alone, the U.S. economy lost 140,000 jobs—all of them previously held by women.
Even though the construction industry has already recovered three-quarters of the jobs lost during 2020, workforce shortages are a constant concern. The construction industry will require qualified talent to rebuild our economy and crumbling infrastructure. With vaccinations underway and increased optimism about the prospects for construction in 2021, there is no better time for women to consider construction as a long-term career choice.
Construction offers many career opportunities in the office or on the jobsite with competitive salaries—especially compared to other industries. While women in the U.S. workforce earn an average of 81.1% of what their male counterparts make, the gender pay gap in the construction sector is almost nonexistent, with women earning an average of 99.1% compared to men.
In honor of March’s Women in Construction Week, our cover story, “Calling the Shots,” shares the stories of several women across the country who are top performers at their companies—breaking barriers and setting the stage for the next generation to enter our industry.
Speaking of high performance: I encourage you to read and share the 2021 Top Performers supplement that is included with this issue. Every construction company featured in this annual book has achieved the highest levels of safety, quality, diversity and project excellence through ABC’s exemplary STEP Safety Management System and Accredited Quality Contractor programs. For a digital link to share with your audiences, visit abc.org/Membership/Top-Performers.
Also, in “Virtual Miracle,” be sure to read about the initiatives of several ABC chapters that pivoted and succeeded in remotely training our workforce during very difficult circumstances. Plus, throughout the issue, you’ll see how corporate partners are helping construction businesses to build with confidence so that we can come out of this year in better shape than we started.
