Knocking down barriers

Women offer solution to labor shortage puzzle

By Chris Thompson
Editor at Large

Barbara Snyder is just like any other carpenter. She's in the same carpenter's union as many of her co-workers, she takes pride in her work and she's no stranger to long, hard days on the work site.

But there's still one obvious difference between Snyder and the majority of her colleagues: Barbara Snyder is a woman.

She has overcome the traditional belief that her gender is an obstacle to joining the industry, but for many women, that simple difference represents an insurmountable roadblock.

"I guess my disappointment lies in that one out of every four women hasn't the drive or the courage to do it," she said. "You're stepping into a man's world and it can be intimidating. But the money is great, and this is one field that evens things out between men and women."

Their paychecks might represent equality, but the difference between male and female participation in the industry is still miles apart. A 1999 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics breakdown of women in construction revealed that between 1995 and 1999 the number of female workers in the industry increased from 762,000 to 886,000, or nearly 16 percent. Meanwhile, there were about 8.1 million men working in construction in 1999.

Razing the walls

Snyder, a carpenter with J.H. Findorff & Son in Madison, said she knows it's difficult for women to get a foothold in construction, and that's why she turned her experience into a learning opportunity for other women. For the last eight years, she has taught a carpentry class in the Madison Area Technical College's Tools for Tomorrow: Women in Trades and Technology program.

"Each class has about 15 or 16 women interested in getting into the trades, and we do hands-on carpentry," she said. "But I guess the interest has to be there in women who want to do the work."

Mary Knight, Tools for Tomorrow coordinator, said the program has remained a resource for women for the last 10 years. She said all it takes is a spark of interest for a woman to start down the road to construction.

Average hourly wage comparison
	Nurse's Aide $9.09 vs Machinist $16.89 Office Clerk $10.94 vs Electrican $24.38 Retail salesperson $9.36 vs Civil Engineering Technician $16.16 Cashier $7.70 vs Maintenance Mechanic $15.39
Statistics courtesy of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

"The first step for women who are interested is a three-hour career information session where we give an overview of nontraditional jobs, the apprenticeship system, the advantages and disadvantages and the different types of work," Knight said. "All of our services are free."

Once a participant chooses a path in the program, Knight said the schedule of classes offers enough prep work for the student to gain a level of confidence in her ability. She said the program doesn't focus on job placement, but a Tools graduate should be prepared for the next step.

"The program is designed to give women a taste of what's out there, and I think a number of employers are aware of this program and recognize this person put the time in," Knight said. "When you go in for an interview, there is a misconception that women aren't strong enough, but if you feel confident in your abilities you project that."

Knight said her program goes beyond teaching students the basic hands-on skills for construction. Tools offers community outreach to break down the stereotype that women are nontraditional construction workers.

The program also offers a mentoring program for women once they get in to the industry. Knight said the program now sponsors 20 mentors for women in the industry.

"It's not always enough to get a woman in, you have to help them stay in," she said. "One problem on a job site is you're a token, and sometimes you have to be above average to be considered average. You're not only representing you as an individual, but you're representing a gender, and that's a lot to deal with."

Snyder said she learned firsthand of the difficulties women face on a construction site, but she said the opportunities are there for women to not only survive, but flourish in the industry.

"Usually the first week is tough on the job for a woman," she said. "Guys watch you for a while to make sure you won't stand around with a shovel. But Findorff is a really good company, and they sponsor my (National Association of Women in Construction) membership."

A network for women

Laura Cataldo, NAWIC Madison Chapter president, said the national organization, which has Wisconsin chapters in Madison, Milwaukee and the Fox Valley, draws on its relationships with larger associations and schools to create a strong learning environment for women interested in construction.

It's nowhere near the size of an Associated General Contractors or Associated Builders and Contractors, but with 36 members, NAWIC's Greater Madison Chapter reaches out to women through monthly meetings and discussion topics such as general difficulties in the workplace.

"We want to serve as an educational forum for women who would like to be in the industry, " Cataldo said. "One of the big roles our chapter plays is to do everything we can to promote the idea of women in construction. And that can start with kids."

The Madison chapter has followed through with its commitment to children through programs such as the annual Block Kids Event, which involves kids in building competitions. The organization also offers scholarships to female students who choose to enroll in construction-related programs at the Madison Area Technical College and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

"Educators and school counselors are hopefully telling women that construction is an opportunity," Cataldo said. "Would you rather be a bank teller making $7 an hour or a carpenter's apprentice making a lot more?"

Despite a traditional mindset that women can't handle construction work, Cataldo said NAWIC is finally making inroads in the industry.

"One big misconception is that women don't have the physical strength for construction, and that's not true because there are plenty of jobs out there, such as estimating and project management," she said. "The industry as a whole is starting to look at NAWIC as an asset that can promote women as an answer to the labor shortage."

Cataldo said NAWIC isn't content to rest on its success so far. The organization continues to search for ways to make construction a viable option for women.

"We're interested in finding ways to match women entering the field with employers," she said. "We want to bring people in and keep them in by providing opportunities to continue learning and to meet other people in the industry."

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