As construction continues to be an essential industry in helping our nation’s economic recovery, firms are fighting the growing workforce shortage and looking to recruit more women than ever before. Women are making an impact in the industry by bringing new skill sets, opinions, and experiences into the office and the field – and a diverse workforce leads to stronger companies. Yes, there are certainly challenges. But perceptions and cultures are changing. During “Women in Construction Week 2021 (March 7-13, 2021),” AGC’s ConstructorCast celebrates the successes and talks about what women have done to further the industry.
In this episode, leading women – Lori Dunn-Guion of Swinerton, Maura Hesdon of Shoemaker Construction Co., and Lauline Mitchell of BBI Construction and current NAWIC National VP – share their stories and insights on how to recruit, train and empower women in construction. Listen to find out what attracted them to construction, the skills that have helped them succeed in the industry, and the tools for building a more welcoming, safe, and inclusive workplace.
Guests:
Lori Dunn-Guion, Division Manager at Swinerton
Maura Hesdon, General Manager at Shoemaker Construction Co.
Lauline Mitchell, Project Manager at BBI Construction and 2020-2021 NAWIC National Vice President
AGC Chapters Activities:
- Alabama AGC – Event Calendar
- AGC of Austin – Team Player or Spectator? How to get Everyone in the Game Zoom Meeting Featuring Kristin Arnold
- AGC of California – CLC/WiOPS Blood drive and co-sponsoring events
- Carolinas AGC – WIC Week Info Page
- AGC of Colorado – Event Calendar
- AGC of Houston – Women Construction Week Online Town Hall
- AGC of Massachusetts – Event Calendar
- AGC of Missouri – Governor’s Proclamations
- AGC of Washington – Event Calendar
- The Builders’ Association – Event Calendar
- AGC of Virginia – Event Information
Additional Resources:
- AGC’s Culture of CARE Sexism in the Workplace Toolkit – consists of three toolbox talks and a discussion guide to help “pledged companies” prepare for and successfully hold discussions with their employees about sexism in the workplace and create actionable next steps following those conversations.
- Constructor Magazine “How Personal Protection Equipment for Women Pays Off” (March 3, 2021)
- National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Home Page
- AGC/NAWIC Partnering Agreement
- Block Kids Building Competition / NAWIC Education Foundation
- NAWIC Emerging Professionals Committee – Facebook Group (email at ep@nwic.org)
- Mentoring Young Women in Construction (MyWIC) Philadelphia
- Shoemaker Construction Co. Wins AGC Diversity & Inclusion Award (May 5, 2019)
- GBCA’s Construction Leadership Council (CLC) Coffee Chat with Maura Hesdon of Shoemaker Construction Co.
- Swinerton Equity & Inclusion
- Swinerton Empowering Women in Construction Blog
#womeninconstruction2021 #wicweek2021 #nawicwicweek2021