Role of women in construction is rapidly changing

Q. March 3-9 is Women in Construction Week. What is a woman's role in a traditionally male industry like construction? A. The construction industry is growing faster than any sector. The role of women working in construction is changing radically. When it comes to the actual work, it feels the playing field is fairly level. I think I get held to the same standards as my male counterparts, which I appreciate. Construction is a super male-dominated industry, and certainly, female on-site construction workers are scarce. But I realized I was well-skilled at my job, and I felt more confident doing it. I enjoy working together with my team. My approach is that most men I work with don't really care what gender a leader is if he or she is competent. Q. What courses or past work prepared you for this job? A. When I was an architect, I realized I was more interested in transforming the drawings into reality. Making a building happen was exciting. As humans, we spend 80 percent to 90 percent of our time in buildings, and I saw that as an opportunity to be in an industry that is always growing and transforming our communities. That is when I decided to join the construction management program at OU, where I took several courses that helped me to understand the different stages of a project cycle. Some of the courses that prepared me were preconstruction services, fundamentals of construction, design/build, estimating, leadership and construction safety. Q. What is the future opportunity for women in construction? A. Construction expands far beyond jobsites and physical labor that are known to be a “man's job." There is a diverse range of opportunities in roles like management, safety, and estimating in which women can use their organization, communication, problem-solving and detail management skills. The industry is evolving, forward-thinking companies and organizations are taking the steps to make the industry more inclusive to women, by continuing to improve the industry and creating more job opportunities within the industry. At Boldt, we have a number of highly qualified and experienced women on our team, including several in high-ranking positions. The future of women in construction is changing, we bring a different perspective to the construction industry. Q. What advice would you give high school girls considering this career path? A. It is all about attitude. If you feel attracted by the construction path, there is nothing to be intimidated about. When you do what you love, work hard and are honest, you are going to be treated with respect, no matter if you are a woman or a man. The fact that there aren't many women in construction differentiates you. People get surprised when they hear that there is a woman in the field, but until women don't get more exposed to this industry, things won't change. Nowadays, more and more girls are being exposed to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects at an early age in school. Programs are being developed and applied that open many opportunities for them in construction. These very-hands on programs gives them a true taste of what each might be like as a career, spiking their interest and igniting their imaginations. It takes special women to work in construction, just as it takes special women to teach our children, care for our sick, serve in our governments, and run companies. My advice to girls considering this career path is to have an open mind and be confident. See difficulties as a challenge, not a failure. Motivation, determination, and open-mindedness will keep you moving forward.