Women in construction

1/1/2025

Walk through almost any construction site — building, road, roofing, infrastructure — and you likely won’t see many women. But the industry is changing, and more women are seeking and finding opportunities in it. While still male-dominated, one might be surprised to learn just how many women are donning hard hats and playing key roles in the field.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, in 2023, women made up 10.8% of employees in the construction industry, which is about 1.3 million women. 

Organizations like The National Association of Women in Construction are one of the reasons this is happening. Through their events and education, they are encouraging more women to pursue careers in the industry. 

 

Coming together 

NAWIC’s goal is to “amplify the success of women in the construction industry.” The association has many chapters across the Midwest including one serving the Greater Des Moines area. In its annual report, the Greater Des Moines chapter welcomed 30 new members with a 30% growth in membership as of August 2024. 

Kelly Paskert, the chief operating officer at Skold Companies and the past president of the Greater Des Moines chapter of NAWIC, said NAWIC started as a way for women to form a bond with one another but has evolved into a way for them to create change within their communities. 

“If you’re the minority in an industry, you’re looking for others that look like you and act like you and talk like you, and that’s how it started. It started with women that needed to have that camaraderie,” Paskert said. 

During meetings, the association includes presentations that address issues like gender bias and workforce inclusion, as well as a focus on career advancement. Keynote speakers share their experiences, and the group’s educational fund pays for classes for women to get certified in certain areas in the construction industry. 

CJ Sherzan, the marketing manager for the Elder Corporation, serves as the current vice president of the NAWIC chapter in the Greater Des Moines area. One of her goals is to show women there is so much more to construction than the boots and the hard hat. 

“There’s so many other different avenues of careers within construction,” Sherzan said. “I do marketing, so my job is to make (The Elder Corporation) look cool and pretty.” 

With those avenues come different experiences that are shared within the organization. Ashley Culver, the senior construction sales consultant and project manager at KONE Corporation and current president of the NAWIC chapter in the Greater Des Moines area, shares that being a woman in the construction industry is a unique thing in and of itself. Often, when she talks about the process of installing elevators, people only understand it in general terms.

For her, NAWIC is an outlet where her colleagues can understand what she is experiencing. 

“As chapter members, we’re all from different backgrounds, and we all have different positions within the construction industry. What’s nice is that it brings us together to bounce ideas off each other or to complain about things we don’t like in industry,” Culver said. “What we’re trying to do is kind of create change as much as we can with our organization. If we can bring some change or positive outlook to it, that’s what we want to do.” 

 

Differences in gender 

NAWIC builds community by recognizing the hard work that women put into their jobs. Culver shares that the overarching issue with women in the construction industry is that people think they can’t do their jobs. 

“What irks me the most is that I will get emails that say, “gentlemen” to address us, and it’s like, no, there are other women on this email thread.” Culver said. “I think they think that (our skills are inferior), which is not true at all. Sometimes I think I’m better than most men at certain aspects of my job.” 

Women still face a variety of barriers in the construction industry. One of these is ill-fitting personal protection equipment like hard hats, safety vests, boots and gloves. 

“A small pair of gloves that fit a man is more than likely not going to fit a woman appropriately. So, having baggy clothes can give risk and unnecessary exposure to accidents that could happen,” Sherzan said.
Not having access to proper uniforms is not the only issue. The environment itself is geared toward men. Job sites often do not have proper bathrooms for women. Sherzan shares that, when men are working in a building, all they will need to do is set up a bucket on the floor to create a restroom. Not only is that not accessible for women, but it limits any private area if a new mother needs to pump milk or nurse their baby. 

NAWIC hears a lot of complaints about restrooms not having a coat rack. During the winter, women need to strip off their coats and layers of warmth in order to use the bathroom and are left have to put clothing on the floor of the portable restrooms.

“It’s not like they’re purposely trying to make us have to put our phone on the floor. They’re just not thinking, because they walk in, they go to the bathroom, and they walk out,” Sherzan said. 

With all of these challenges, Paskert says the construction industry will need to start making changes that are inclusive to women, as she predicts more women will be working in the safety aspect of the job. 

“I feel like men tend to be a little more comfortable going to a woman and telling them, ‘I’m hurt, this happened,’ or ‘I’m having a mental health crisis,’ rather than talking to another man,” Paskert said. “Having a female on that job site that is sort of that mother figure. I think it’s going to be a thing. I think, in a decade, we’re going to see massive influence of women in transit.” 

With this trend, Paskert says she believes moms reentering the workforce and women wanting a career change will find this an easy entry-level job for women curious about construction. This creates excitement among the women of NAWIC, as it allows more women to gain leadership positions in construction. 

“I feel like I’m almost talked down to, like, ‘Oh, you’re just the office gal that doesn’t know anything.’ It’s like, well, talk to me, question me, ask me these questions, and I can prove to you that I know as much as you do,” Sherzan said. “At least, that’s in my office, I’ll have occasional conversations where I’m like, question me, like, challenge me.” 

 

Community outreach 

As much as NAWIC supports its members, another of its goals is to support Des Moines. 

“(Construction is) not for everyone, but it’s also the most giving industry,” Sherzan said. “I can’t think of an industry that rallies together more when something happens… We’re one of the leading people for donating in local communities. We always are giving back to the community, because that’s part of this, we want to see our communities thrive with new businesses and new developments for where we live.” 

Sherzan, who works on underground utilities and grading, says she and her team are the first ones on site tearing up the road. Sherzan said she gets “giddy” knowing that, every day, people drive over the roads and have no idea what lies underneath them. 

Culver notes the importance of literally changing the physical landscape of the community and being a driving the force of the economy. Her work helps bring in the buildings that create jobs for people and house families. Culver appreciates the fact that her work keeps Des Moines growing. 

“I love telling my kids, ‘Mom sold that elevator,’ ” Culver said. “Sometimes my children will even ask, ‘Did you do that one? Did you do that one?’ It’s fun to be like, I was a part of that project, and now it’s 20 years old.” 

The board members of NAWIC recognize the importance of fostering relationships. Whether it be partnering on a golf outing or a volunteer event, they can be found pitching in.

“We are really the only female organization in the construction industry. So, if they want to attract women to their businesses, they’re going to need to support NAWIC, whether they want to or not,” Paskert said. “If your company is not supporting NAWIC, odds are, if you’re a woman, you’re not going to work for them very long… That is because you can see it. You see those companies that are supporting our members, that are supporting them and encouraging them.” ♦