CAGC Celebrates Women in Construction Week

February 26, 2024

Council on Women in Construction | Events | More Opportunities

We are proud to celebrate Women in Construction Week from March 3 - 9, 2024. This year is the 26th anniversary of the annual week-long celebration. As we celebrate, we invite you to learn more about our newly formed Council on Women in Construction to attend one of our five events including a free Lunch & Learn, "Building Bridges: Empowering Women in Construction through Mentorship." We have partnered with the local chapter of NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction) to bring our members four opportunities to connect and engage with even more construction professionals across the Carolinas. We invite you to join us in Charlotte, Raleigh, North Charleston and West Columbia. 

We encourage our members to join us in this celebration by participating in their own campaigns and sharing those efforts with us. Email Katie Freseman with information on how you are celebrating.

Fact: While the most recent U.S. Census estimates that women comprise 50.5% of the U.S. population, they still make up just 11% of the overall construction workforce. This percentage has increased in recent years, but much of this increase is confined to women in managerial, technical, and administrative roles. In fact, within construction craft professional positions, where the greatest shortages exist, less than 4% are women.

Council on Women in Construction

The CAGC Council on Women in Construction is working to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for women in construction. The Council, formed in 2023, is committed to “supporting, empowering, and mentoring women in construction” and is focused on recruiting and retaining women – particularly in the trades. The 18 members of the Council represent diversity in gender, race, job duties, background, experience, and size of their company.  Kelly Monroe, Director of Strategy and Business Development for Williams Realty Building & Company and Eric Faulk, Chief Growth Officer for Palmetto Corp. lead the Council. 

Mission:

Improve the construction industry by increasing the representation of women at all levels.

Committee Actions / Next Steps:

1. Establish baseline of number of women in the construction workforce and their positions in the company.  
    Survey membership and access other resources, i.e. EEO-1 Data for federal contractors, Commerce Dept
    Establish objective metrics and goals for workforce participation at all levels of employment
   
   
2. Establish hybrid/work flexibility recommendations.
    Showcase what works and highlight success stories of innovative practices
   
   
3. Develop a coaching/mentoring program to help women navigate their roles in construction and earn promotions/take on leadership roles.
    Both women to women and men to women
   
   
4. Develop intentional, targeted recruitment Strategies.
    Create branding messages - What makes women want to work in construction/in the field
   
   
5. Identify (or develop) construction-specific sexual harassment/hostile work environment training solutions for our CAGC member companies.
   
   
6. Attract more women into apprenticeship programs (including CAGC Construction Bootcamps) and provide more guidance on how they can succeed.
   
   
7. Integrate external resources and partner with other organizations.
    NC Works
    Hope Renovations/Non-profits training women for construction work
    Community/Technical Colleges

Learn more about the council. 

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Women in Construction Events

We are excited to partner with local NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction) Chapters to bring our members three opportunities to celebrate and connect across the Carolinas during Women in Construction Week. We are looking forward to seeing our members in Charleston, Columbia and Charlotte!

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More Opportunities

AGC of America

WIC Week Webinar "From Insights to Action Plan: A Toolkit for Advancing Women in Construction"
March 4, 12:00 p.m.  ET 
  
Join AGC, NCCER and Ambition Theory on Monday, March 4 at 12pm EST for a Women in Construction Week Webinar, From Insights to Action Plan: A Toolkit for Advancing Women in Construction. During the webinar, we will share a new actionable toolkit - based off the findings from the 2023 "Building Better: Women in Construction Report" and following a discussion with construction firms during AGC's Construction HR & Workforce Conference - designed to help companies move beyond recruitment and pave the way for more women to move into leadership positions. 
  
Discover the hard-hitting insights from the research and the practical steps being taken to level the playing field as they unveil the Building Better Action Plan: A Toolkit for Advancing Women In Construction. From fostering inclusive workplaces to implementing tangible policy changes, we’re equipping you with the tools and strategies to make a difference. This isn’t just another webinar—it’s a call to action. Sign up today.

National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)

NAWIC has a variety of opportunities and resources available to members free of charge. Register via their website for important panels and informative virtual events.  NAWIC also has a variety of toolbox talks that can be delivered directly to your inbox each day, as well as a variety of graphics to use. Visit their website for more information.

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