As evidenced by record high jobs and low unemployment, President Biden has placed an important emphasis on creating good quality and high-paying jobs for all Americans. And thanks to funding from the historic CHIPS and Science Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the Inflation Reduction Act, construction jobs are in high demand. To fill these jobs, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo continues to step up the momentum to recruit, train, hire, and retain thousands of women in construction and the trades.

In October of 2022, Secretary Raimondo announced the Million Women in Construction initiative, which aims to double the number of women in construction over the next decade. While there are about a million women working in construction now, they account for less than 11% of workers in the industry 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 where she joined Governor Evers in announcing two Wisconsin-based companies have joined the Department of Commerce’s Million Women in Construction Community Pledge. By signing this pledge, construction companies, unions, and training organizations commit to finding solutions to help overcome barriers faced by women and underserved communities.

Following the announcement, Secretary Raimondo and Governor Evers heard from state and local, industry, labor, and community leaders on the need to increase the number of women in the construction industry. During the discussion, several women—including a plumber, iron worker, and painter—told their stories on how they got into the trades and how training opportunities in their communities were instrumental in getting their jobs. These women also spoke about barriers in obtaining and retaining these jobs, including lack of access to childcare and equal pay.

One woman, who is a cement mason by trade, spoke about her 25 years in the industry. She started off as an apprentice and later made her way through the ranks to become a business manager. She attributed her success to the strong women around her who are breaking down barriers and taking action to help retain women including launching a childcare pilot program with her company.    

Another woman spoke about feeling scared to enter a male-dominated career and described not seeing any other women on-site during her first day at her job. She stressed the importance of making the construction industry more welcoming by not only hiring more women but paying them the same amount of money as men.

Others spoke about how the industry has changed their lives and provided them with much needed flexibility. They also discussed the need for women to have more guidance through apprenticeships.

“We are about to create 1000s more jobs,” Raimondo told participants at the event. “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 is a nationwide call to action for the construction industry – construction contractors, trade unions, and training institutions – to commit to bold steps that will ensure a robust and diverse workforce in the years ahead. It will be necessary to recruit, train, hire, and retain thousands of new and non-traditional workers – the next generation of skilled laborers and leaders who are prepared to rebuild U.S. infrastructure and supply chains and complement Federal government investments.