This year’s Construction Management Association of America’s Focus25 Conference in Last Vegas, NV brought together hundreds of Program Management and Construction Management (PM/CM) professionals for workshops and panels on major challenges facing the PM/CM industry and how to address them.
STV project manager Alejandra Chinea, AIA, CCM, led a discussion on “Building the Workforce of the Future: Empowering Young Women in Construction.” A longstanding member of her local CMAA chapter and former member of the CMAA Emerging Leaders Program cohort, here she discusses some of the challenges facing women in the industry and how organizations like STV can address them.
1. The PM/CM industry is grappling with a shortage of skilled professionals. What are some of the barriers for industry growth from female candidates?
The issue is twofold. First, there are some psychological factors that may hinder women from pursuing a career in construction – from unconscious bias or imposter syndrome to challenges surrounding inclusivity. According to Harvard University’s Implicit Association Test, recruitment and hiring practices based on perceived compatibility can lead to predetermined assumptions about candidates based on their gender, leading to unbalanced workplaces.
2. What are some less frequently discussed challenges for women in the PM/CM workplace?
Safety can be a major challenge on job sites. Often, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is ordered in bulk for sizes that don’t properly fit women. In a recent study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 41% of women reported that their PPE fit poorly. In the workplace, one size does not fit all. The same goes for workplace policies. We need to ensure all employees are represented in procedures and training to prevent harm or harassment.
3. What can current PM/CM professionals do to challenge this and encourage more women to pursue PM/CM careers?
We need to continue inspiring young women to pursue STEM careers or unconventional career paths (e.g., trade school). Seeing female role models through mentorship and in the workplace is a crucial part of inspiring the next generation. In mentorships, it’s also important that young women are given the same opportunities as men – fewer administrative tasks and more technical ones.
