Garney Construction, a water and wastewater company with its headquarters in North Kansas City, has begun working with the Raytown School District to provide young people in the area with the opportunity to demonstrate what they can accomplish in a male-dominated industry. The camp prepares participants for construction professions by providing hands-on experience and coaching from industry experts.
(Photo : Pexels/Fatih Yurtman )
All-Girls Construction Camp
In a revolutionary move, Garney Construction has joined forces with the Raytown School District to organize an all-girls construction camp to provide young women with first-hand experience in the construction business, which men have traditionally dominated. In addition to providing participants with the ability to look into non-traditional career pathways, this endeavor also encourages diversity and inclusivity in employment, motivating the future generation of builders and innovators.
As mentioned, girls who have participated in the camp for years have reported being reminded of the numerous tasks others have told them they are incapable of accomplishing. Experts at Garney Construction taught them throughout the past week that they can do so. By demonstrating to both themselves and others that they are more capable than they initially thought, these young ladies have shown that they can handle a scissor left and other heavy equipment. In addition, they received training in survival techniques and first aid.
On the other hand, the United States Department of Commerce has provided statistics indicating that women only make up 9% of the workforce in the construction industry. According to the organization, a wide variety of positions are available, and not all of them require exertion. It is reportedly essential to remember that girls should not be afraid to pursue whatever they choose to do in the future. Nevertheless, the closing ceremony will occur on Friday, June 14, at the Herndon Career Center in Raytown.
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Women in the Construction Industry
Women comprised 10.9% of the blue-collar workforce in the construction industry in 2022, with approximately 1.3 million women at work. In the past ten years, there has been a 53% increase in the number of women employed in the construction industry. There are 17.6% of construction workers in Washington, District of Columbia, making it the city with the most significant percentage of female construction workers.
Additionally, more women work in buildings in Arizona and Florida, making up 15.6% and 14.5% of their workforce. Although women have achieved significant advancements, the construction sector is still dominated by men, and many people in the United States believe that this is intentional.
However, in the construction industry, women have significantly fewer options for bonus payments and experience fewer opportunities for professional advancement and promotion than their male colleagues. It is becoming increasingly more difficult to resist the widespread perception that the sector is mainly aimed at men.
Personal protection equipment (PPE) is frequently required for workers in the construction industry to guarantee their safety. But historically, PPE has been built to match the physique of men. As a result, women have been forced to work in gear that is either unpleasant or does not fit properly, which makes them more susceptible to injuries in the workplace. Compared to other industries, maternity plans for women still need to be improved.
Accordingly, caring for children is expensive and restricted, and some member states' tax schemes encourage women to stay home. Yet, development remains impeded by gender biases, which are particularly prevalent in some areas of Eastern and Southern Europe, despite some progress. It is not unexpected that women make up such a small fraction of the workforce in the construction industry, given the adverse circumstances that have been described.
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