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0Women In Construction Have Spoken!
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I've talked to soooo many "male" contractors.
Why?
Because the contractor industry is dominated by men.
Then I talked to a few women and immediately noticed a huge difference.
Maybe it was because I am also a woman and I appreciated talking to another woman over the phone...
Or maybe not...maybe it is because women are better contractors than men?
Here is what 4 women contractors told us about what they think.
Stereotypes In The Contractor Industry
There are many stereotypical misconceptions that the general public usually hold when it comes to women in the construction industries.
(Now, as a disclaimer, these are general stereotypes. As I spoke with these women , we both came to a consensus that it’s not prejudice that leads to these stereotypes, it’s just the fact that there are few women in the industry.)
9% Of The Workers In The Contractor Industry Are Women
That includes administrative, professional, managerial, and production employees!
That seems like a small percentage, but OSHA says that those 9% make up about 800,000 workers! Now let’s see what that 9% have to say to the questions we asked about working among so many men. Just so you know, everyone we spoke with are business owners!
Here’s What Our 4 Women Think!
Do You Think There Are Stereotypes In The Industry?
“I don’t think there are stereotypes. I have been treated very fairly!”
“This is a male dominated industry. People are really expecting a man when I come because they feel that a man knows more than a woman."
"Traditionally it’s a very male dominated industry. For many years, women weren’t involved at all in field or management positions. Thats really changing now. In the old days, project managers all came from the field, so they were actually construction workers/tradesman before they got into those roles. Most everyone in the field was male back then. Now, many project managers are coming straight out of college and many of those are women. You get a lot of women now that are project managers. However, a lot of the project managers coming out of college, both men and women, may not have ever actually had any field experience. In addition to project managers, there are now a number of women working in the field as well. That is a big change from years ago."
What Challenges Do You Face Being A Woman In The Contractor Industry?
“We kind of take it on a case to case basis here. We have a family business so we send either my son or husband if we feel like a guy needs to be in any situation. It’s just part of being in business! It’s not prejudice. There just aren’t many women in the tree business.”
“It’s different how men and women market and network. That affects how we work together. It even affects getting your foot in the door with other companies.”
“You’re married to the business. Weekends. Nights. When they need assistance, you need to be there. It’s just part of the game. It takes dedication. Extreme dedication.”
"First of all, a lot of guys are great about working with women. It’s certainly not everyone you’re dealing with [that treats you differently for being a woman]. It tends to be the ones who have been in the industry a very long time, versus the ones who have just gotten into it. Sometimes you just have a hard time being taken seriously, but attitudes change! In the beginning, there is skepticism, but if you prove yourself to be competent, over time they will generally accept you."
What Skills Or Specialties Do You Bring To The Table As A Woman In The Industry?
“I think I deal better with the customer or the public because I do it all the time. It’s easier for me to talk to a customer than a man, just because men are so used to working all the time”
“I can help the contractor meet the targeted goals that go with certain projects, such as the federally funded projects”
How Did You Get Started In The Contractor Industry?
“I think I deal better with the customer or the public because I do it all the time. It’s easier for me to talk to a customer than a man, just because men are so used to working all the time”
I started out of high school working for Minnesota Department of Transportation as a seasonal employee on a highway project that was local in my hometown. They trained me on the basics. I got hired by other contractors for the next 7 years, then I finally decided to jump ship and do it myself! We now work for Minnesota Department of Transportation and other contractors all over the state!
What Lead To Writing This Article?
As I wrote the articles How To Clean Vinyl Siding, and Best Vinyl Siding Cleaner I called and contacted many businesses from throughout the United States. Not once did I speak to a Woman! This called my attention, so I did some research on women in the contractor industry. Turns out, there are more than I thought there were, and they love what they do!
Resources
First photo of tradeswomen, thanks to Tim Curran of Mid-County Memo.
Second photo of tradeswoman, Thanks to Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. and Dawn Jones Redstone
A big thanks to all those who helped and contributed to writing this article.
Denise Volk http://atreeservices.com/
Kelly Thommes http://www.airfreshindustries.com/
Connie Pearson http://precisiontestinc.com/
Tamelyn Holter http://www.ebs-mn.com/