President Biden has emphasized creating high-quality, well-paying jobs for Americans, supported by funding from the CHIPS and Science Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the Inflation Reduction Act. This focus has led to increased demand for construction jobs. To meet this demand, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is intensifying efforts to recruit, train, hire, and retain thousands of women in construction and trades.
In October 2022, Secretary Raimondo announced the Million Women in Construction initiative aimed at doubling the number of women in construction over the next decade. Currently, about a million women work in construction, representing less than 11% of industry workers and less than 5% of skilled trade occupations. “We won’t be able to fill critical jobs in the construction industry without growing our trades workforce to include more women,” said Secretary Raimondo. “And these jobs pay—on average—twice as much as jobs that women are more likely to fill in the hospitality industry or as care workers.”
Last month, Secretary Raimondo traveled to Wisconsin with Governor Evers to announce that two Wisconsin-based companies have joined the Department of Commerce’s Million Women in Construction Community Pledge. By signing this pledge, entities commit to overcoming barriers faced by women and underserved communities.
During their visit, state and local leaders discussed increasing women's participation in construction. Several women shared their experiences entering trades like plumbing and ironworking through community training opportunities but highlighted ongoing challenges such as lack of childcare and equal pay.
A cement mason recounted her 25-year career progression from apprentice to business manager and credited her success to supportive female colleagues who launched a childcare pilot program at her company. Another woman described her initial fear entering a male-dominated field where she saw no other women on-site on her first day. She emphasized making the industry more welcoming by hiring more women and ensuring pay equity.
Participants also discussed how working in construction had changed their lives by providing flexibility and stressed the need for better apprenticeship guidance for women.
“We are about to create thousands more jobs,” Raimondo told attendees. “But there are all kinds of barriers. We need workforce training, more apprenticeship programs, and childcare. I have a passion for this. Now that we have heard from you, it is our job to make sure we open the door for other women behind you.”
The Million Women in Construction initiative calls on contractors, trade unions, and training institutions nationwide to take bold steps toward ensuring a robust and diverse workforce prepared for future infrastructure projects.
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