The construction industry is at a crossroads as we wrap up 2025. The construction industry is facing one of the biggest challenges with a labor shortage. For today’s blog, let’s narrow in on women in construction and we will return next week to focus on the overall workforce.
Women make up nearly 47% of the U.S. workforce overall, yet in construction they represent only about 11% of workers—and even fewer in the skilled trades. This is improvement over the 9% statistic we consistently shared years ago, but the progress is still far too slow.
There is still hope though. A survey by PWC (Professional Women in Construction) New York from earlier this year shows that women are drawn to construction for solid reasons: competitive pay, career advancement, professional development, strong benefits, and job security.
In fact, the industry boasts one of the lowest gender pay gaps, with women earning roughly 95% of what their male peers make, notably better than the national average.
This tells us women bring value not just to jobsite diversity, but to the growth and sustainability of the entire workforce. Yet, barriers remain, particularly awareness of the opportunities that exist.
Women in the industry are often telling me there are very clear benefits to working in the construction industry, including being part of building something tangible and impactful from start to finish, opportunities for growth and development, and the pride of trailblazing new paths in an evolving industry.
As we look to the future, we must continue to remember some of these key points and share this messaging with the younger generations to encourage women to continue to consider a career in construction.
What’s Needed Going into 2026
As we head to the year ahead, there are many steps we can continue to take. To encourage more women into construction careers, industry leaders are focusing on:
- Targeted seminars and job fairs that highlight skills and career paths
- Better visibility of work-life balance options
- Mentorship and advocacy at every level
If we want to attract more women and broaden the talent pool overall, these initiatives must be part of the conversation as we head into 2026. While full gender parity may still be generations away, the choices we make today in education, hiring practices, and cultural support can accelerate meaningful progress.
Join us next week, as we continue this short blog series, focusing on the construction workforce. Next week, I will share how the construction industry can learn lessons from 2025 and begin preparing for 2026.
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