This month we celebrate Women in Construction Week from March 5 to 11 and International Women’s Day on March 8.
Melaney Stanberry
I’m a superintendent, so I work in the field. I know there are a lot of women that work at PCL, but I can count on a few fingers the number of women (at least the ones that I know of) in Toronto who are superintendents with PCL. Sometimes you feel like you don’t know who else is out there, and one of the ways I realize there are other women superintendents is through events and initiatives like Women in Construction Week, seeing someone who was involved and then looking them up on Connects and seeing, “Oh, she’s a super, too.”
One thing I’ve observed in the field is that there is often an undertone of women having to prove their competence over and over again, prove that they deserve to be in the same circle with all the male foremen, superintendents and field leaders. For a female, sometimes if you do something incorrectly or you make a mistake, you’re regarded as incompetent, when for a male making the same mistake, it may just be seen as a lapse in judgment, a bad day or a learning opportunity. So it seems as though there is an unconscious imbalance in the way that a learning curve is perceived, based on gender. I find that one reason why a lot of women don’t stay in construction (in the field side at least) for a long time is because when you first start out in your career, you’re in a position where you’re learning, but as a woman, you’re not always given that equal opportunity to learn.
Personally, in the field, I don’t want to stand out or draw attention to myself; I really just want to fit in. I want to be known and remembered because I’m great at my job, not just because I’m a woman. And that’s just me, but I think that some women actually do want to stand out, so I think it’s important to take the time to get to know people because not every woman wants the same thing. It’s important to understand personalities and how people want to be related to or recognized. Because not everyone wants to be recognized publicly, and when people keep doing that to them, sometimes they feel tokenized. Some people are just shy or are introverts and they just want to come in each day and do their job. So, get to know the women on your team and their personalities and understand what their goals are, what they actually want and how they like to be appreciated.
With diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, it’s common that they bring forward something that is subconscious, or the unconscious bias that people have, and they make it conscious and draw attention to it. That can create the perception that certain minority groups want to be on a pedestal, when that’s not always the case. On the contrary, it’s just a fact that you can’t get people in the industry to change their behavior if they aren’t aware of it; hence needing to bring certain issues to the forefront of people’s consciousness.
Superintendent, Toronto
Priyanka Patel
My interest in construction starts in my childhood growing up in India. My grandfather was an engineer, and he would take me to all the construction sites he was working on. That’s what sparked my original interest. While I was earning my master’s degree, I did two internships with PCL Construction on the American Dream project. Now, after being hired on full-time, I’ve worked in three different states and held multiple titles in five years.
Some people say that behind every successful man, there’s a woman. But I believe that behind every successful woman there’s a loving, understanding and supporting man, whether it’s a brother, father, husband or mentor. I don’t believe that women’s empowerment must come from other women, I believe anyone can step up and show their support.
Throughout my PCL career, I’ve had several male mentors who have helped, supported and challenged me. Wade Brooks was my first supervisor at PCL and he was very supportive and inspiring. My current supervisor Nate Curtis took me under his wing and taught me the fundamentals of concrete (on-site construction) – something I knew nothing about when I started at PCL. He’s been very patient with me and has taught me so much.
I feel fortunate that this company does a great job at giving women a voice and giving them opportunities to grow their careers. All of my supervisors have treated me really well.
Also, I just want to get this out there. PCL is a diverse organization with people from all backgrounds and walks of life, and everyone has something that they feel might be holding them back. I only want to say that whatever you’re struggling with, you need to face it head-on and find a way to overcome it to reach your fullest potential. You can do it!
Assistant Superintendent, Orlando
Stacey Wormsbecker
I chose the construction industry because I really enjoyed the people and the culture as well as being a part of building something exciting and being able to appreciate the finished product.
That culture is a really important part of Women in Construction Week. I think it's important that PCL recognizes Women in Construction Week and acknowledges the women in the industry so that we can continue to retain and promote women. In the past 11 years I’ve spent in the industry, you can see that there's definitely more of an effort to increase the number of women in the industry and to make some positive changes moving forward. I think once we get more women into leadership roles, we will see those changes start to spread throughout the culture, and it will be naturally ingrained into our routine.
It’s important to continue to attract women by having an inclusive culture, one where women that come to the company also stay and are promoted within the company. I think there are a few different things we can do to retain women. Flexible work options and managers that support flexible work options can help support people through periods in their lives where there can be challenges to balance it all. I also believe unconscious bias training is important as it helps us recognize that we all have a bias and how we can try and overcome them.
Every woman is unique as to what they are looking for to be supported at a workplace, but I think overall women want to be respected and included. Women bring a unique perspective and dynamic to projects and that can lead to great successes. Women can have diverse leadership skills that can help improve our client relationships and workplace culture. So, I think that's what makes Women in Construction Week so important and why I'm excited that PCL promotes it.
Project Manager, BC Region
Stren Tramelli
I had never considered working in construction. Fortunately, construction found me. I learned early that it’s important to be confident in yourself and your skillset, and I truly believe that if you listen and work hard, anybody who wants to be an ally is going to appreciate and respect that.
Women in Construction Week, to me, means recognizing all the amazing women in our industry at all levels. It’s also an opportunity to recognize the allies that help advocate for growth and career development. I’ve had a lot of great male allies over the years here, and I would not be where I am today without their support and mentorship.
Lately, I’ve been moving more into workforce development, and I get to go out to the high schools and talk to the kids. I enjoy seeing these kids learn about construction. They’re the next generation of builders, and there’s plenty to be built. We’re going to need women.
It’s a great time to be a woman in the industry. Times are changing and people are truly getting on board with diversity and inclusion and, more than ever before, you can go as far as you want to go as a woman in construction.
Craft Training Specialist, U.S. PICCo
Sandra Deis
Coming out of high school, what drew me to the industry was the fact that once you have your trade ticket you have it for life and, although it’s hard work, you’re well compensated for it. When I first went to trade school, I was the only woman in the trades wing. Not just in my class, but in the whole building.
Women are a hugely underutilized resource in the industry. Women bring different ideas and perspectives on how things can be done. Just because something has always been done one way, it doesn’t mean you can’t bring in new ideas and come to different conclusions. More importantly, like attracts like, and if a woman sees a woman succeeding and thriving, then it makes the industry look more relatable and attainable.
Sponsorship and mentorship from men is hugely important and should be more common. Whether you’re in school, an office or a jobsite, it helps when others champion you and provide space for you and give you a voice.
Things are changing. It’s better now for women. But in some ways, I feel like we’ve only just dipped a toe in the water. Perspectives are shifting in the right direction, but to do it properly, we need to keep building on our culture, and culture shift doesn’t happen overnight.
Project Controls Coordinator, Melloy
Grace Lium
I’m less than a year into my career, so this marks my first Women in Construction Week. I appreciate that PCL takes the time to recognize and encourage women in construction. To further support the minority gender, I believe it is important to discuss the different experiences that women have faced in our industry.
I am often asked the question, “as a woman, why construction?” The start of that sentence has always rubbed me the wrong way. There continues to be this underlying stigma or weirdness about seeing a woman on a jobsite. There’s nothing inherently wrong with it, it is just that historically construction roles were held by men. The few short years I have been on jobsites I have seen a positive shift in the number of women, both internally and externally within the trades. Walking on site being a frontline view of this transition and seeing women succeeding is encouraging. This change makes me look forward to the day that it will just be “what got you into construction?”
Through the transition of more women entering the construction industry, I’ve seen PCL take additional steps to reach out and ensure that women are provided equitable opportunities and are comfortable with their daily work. A new PCL initiative I believe could help support women would be to offer resource/mentoring programs for women in construction. There’s the saying “empowered women empower women” and as a recent college graduate, it would be empowering to have a group of women, whether internally or externally to be able to approach at any given time to share resources and advice on the industry.
To this day, there are still instances when a woman will tell a subcontractor to do something, but they refuse to listen just because it came from a woman. It can be exhausting to be heard and share the importance of respect in an industry full of men. To better support women in situations like this, it is valuable to have team members that can stand up to those involved. Sharing “she’s in charge and is fully capable of the same thing a man is” can possibly shift perspectives. Being surrounded by team members that can recognize these situations, provide additional support, and emphasize the very respect that was previously requested is a pivotal example for others to follow.
We all know women and men are inherently different. We have come to fill a performance gap that has gone un-noticed for years. Women are critical to the future development of construction, something I am proud to say that I am a part of.
Field Engineer, Seattle
APPRECIATE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE
SPEAK UP
GIVE CREDIT
LISTEN
Talking about Diversity,
Equity & Inclusion can be uncomfortable for some people. However, if we avoid uncomfortable conversations, the problem will never be understood, and a solution will never be found.
APPRECIATE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE
An old adage once said, “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” If you see an instance of unfair or unequitable treatment, say something.
SPEAK UP
Show your appreciation by making sure their contributions are recognized among their peers.
GIVE CREDIT
Women can feel like they’re being talked over or not heard in the workplace. The easiest thing you can do to support women is just to make sure you’re listening to what they’re saying.
LISTEN
DON'T ASSUME
Share knowledge and resources to foster a mentoring environment, but always make sure to ask how you can best support women. Don’t assume you know the answer.
DON'T ASSUME
5 TIPS
TO BE AN ALLY TO WOMEN
8 INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS
SUPPORTING WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
PCLer PERSPECTIVES WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
@women.in.construction
Empowering women in the construction industry. Real stories, support + resources.
@nawicnational
Leading Builders. Building Leaders. The premier association for women in construction since 1953.
@imageofwic
A series of portraits showcasing the diversity of women & roles within Construction.
@womeninsteeltoes
Supporting women in the construction industry and inspiring the next generation.
@thecarmenelectrode
A female support system for women in the trades. We aim to empower, encourage,
and inspire.
@shewearswb
Stories of Women building careers in construction. New episodes every Thursday (except the 1st of the month).
@wbfintrades
Transform your life. We’ve got the tools to help.
Follow PCL’s social media channels for additional Women in Construction Week content throughout March.
@cawicmarketing
CAWIC is a not for profit organization formed to enhance the success of women in the Canadian construction industry
