Plan Ahead for Fun

Women on the Rise

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY HILTON HEAD AREA HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION

Despite the industry still being male-dominated, women are trailblazing their way in construction

The local NAHB chapter of Professional Women in Building provides women in the construction industry opportunities for networking, education and professional development. Isn’t construction for boys? It’s an idea we’ve assumed for a long time, but the simple answer is no. Today, women make up around 14% of the construction industry professionals and that number is steadily rising. In the past 10 years, the upward growth of women employed in construction has increased 54% overall.

The growing number of women choosing a career in construction is shattering ideas about gender specific roles. 37% of the women entering the field of construction who have higher education degrees are female, and the reason is simple.

For women, it’s an open field with many rewards and benefits and plenty of room for career progression and development.

Employers in construction are catching on, too, by offering more training and hiring opportunities specifically to women. According to builderonline.com, “The majority of women are employed in sales or office roles (38.6%); however, this is almost the same amount as those holding management and professional level jobs (37%).”

Another notable step in the right direction is the small gender pay gap. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that across all industries, women earn 81.5% of what men do. However, in construction, women’s

earnings as a percentage of men’s is 94.3%, which is the lowest gender pay gap across the measured U.S. industries.

Although women in general are still underrepresented, they are making significant progress as leaders in the industry. With a substantial portion of women executives and construction managers entering those roles in the last five years, it’s evident that companies have made improvement assigning women to leadership roles.

Perhaps the biggest obstacles that women still face are acceptance, inclusion and being educated on the opportunities that a career in construction can offer. That is where organizations like NAHB’s Professional Women in Building (PWB) Council and Professional Women in Construction (PWC) can help. These groups offer training, support, leadership, and networking opportunities to encourage and equip women for successful careers in construction.

Locally, the Hilton Head Area Home Builders Association established a chapter of PWB in 2020 to promote industry professionalism and support members through education, networking, and professional development. The Hilton Head PWB Chapter was the first of its kind in South Carolina and already has 120 members. The organization helps women boost career success, and in turn, these women help mentor the next generation and bring awareness to their profession. It’s a win-win for the industry and for women in the lowcountry. To learn more about PWB and opportunities for women in construction, contact meg@hhahba.com

ABOVE Beaufort Jasper Academy for Career Excellence (BJACE) receives a donation from PWB to assist with tools and equipment for their construction programs. TOP LEFT PWB offers many networking opportunities for members. TOP RIGHT In addition to providing a support group for women in construction, PWB also helps educate young girls on the possibilities of construction as a career. Fellow PWB Member, Leah England with Bellwether Design + Build participated in Career Day at the Hilton Head Christian Academy to promote The House that She Built.

Celebrating two years of growth!

WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION

When our Professional Women In Building of the Lowcountry charter was ratified in June 2020, it truly felt like we’d made history,” said Meg James, Executive Officer of the Hilton Head Area Home Builders Association. “We are the first and only PWB chapter in the state of South Carolina. We’re trailblazers in our own right, 120 members strong and growing every month. Through our PWB Chapter we are dedicated to promoting industry professionalism and supporting members through education, professional development, networking opportunities and community service. PWB of the Lowcountry will help members acquire and develop invaluable leadership and business management skills that boost career success. We will be a community driven group who helps mentor the next generation and in the New Year the council will look to offer various recognition programs on a local and national level. For additional information, contact meg@hhahba.com.