Construction has long been a male-dominated field. According to recently released data from the U.S. Census Bureau, only 11.7% of payroll employees in the construction industry are women. However, a shift is underway. In recent years, the Department of Labor’s Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) grant program has allocated millions of dollars to bolster women’s participation in industries like construction. And with the construction industry facing a massive worker shortage—estimated at 349,000 workers—recruiting women into construction roles has become a necessity for sustaining growth and meeting demand.
Female Construction Employment Over Time
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