Editor's note: This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and length. You can listen to this conversation by clicking the LISTEN button above.
Tina Sawyer: The construction industry is facing a massive worker shortage in 2025. The Associated Builders and Contractors Trade Organization says the industry will need nearly half a million new workers to meet demand in the U.S. Right now, women make up only 4 % of the construction workforce.
That's why construction leaders are trying attract more females to the trades. One organization in Midland has started by organizing the Build Like a Girl event. I attended the event last month and talked with communications director for the trade organization, Cathy Geiger. Cathy begins the conversation discussing how changing social stigmas about women in the trades starts first with building a powerful structure within young women.
Cathy Geiger: It's just really. Giving them the confidence and then once they begin. Showing them that they can do this, being empowered to step into and work with a roomful of men. I mean, for some that can be very intimidating, but when you have the leadership at the company, at the schools showing them and telling them that this is. You know specifically at the companies and I've talked to these men, I've talked to these companies and yes, they are out there and they want women in the trades and encourage them to apply.
TS: And sometimes that leadership in the trades are women like Jessica Wooliver, Vice president of Rohde Brothers excavating in Saginaw. Jessica was at the Build Like a Girl event in Midland and says although she grew up in the industry, sometimes you just need to push yourself and offered this advice:
Jessica Wooliver: Just dig in, dig in. I mean, you got to give it a try. The guys can do it. Why can't you? Hard for girls to get into it hard. To get into this, tons of misconceptions about the construction industry in general and girls not being able to do things.
TS: And they can do things when I ask men and women both currently working in the trades, they both agreed that some jobs are just suited for females. Cathy Geiger agrees.
CG: Do make better welders than men because they are more detail oriented. They're more patient. All of those things put together make them very good welders and I tell young girls that all the time there are jobs out there that men are too big to get into small places, so women who. Are generally smaller than men are able to get into these small areas, so that's a benefit there. So looking at both of those things, it's really about working as a team and. Showing your strengths and weaknesses for men and women.
TS: Cathy, is there anything that would surprise these girls? Of what kinds of jobs are out there for them?
CG: Oh yes, most definitely. We have one girl who had no idea what she wanted to do. She was really surprised that, oh, maybe I do want to get into construction. So we were really happy to hear last year when she attended that she is taking classes for welding and that she plans to continue this education.
TS: Despite the promising opportunities, women are still underrepresented in the construction field. Geiger says this is just the beginning, though.
CG: This is slowly starting to change, but it takes events like this to get the girls hands on. Really learning more about the career to get them to see that it's not just for men, it's not a dirty job.
(Background sounds)
TS: I had to hear it for myself. Back at the Build like a Girl event, I ran into Midland 4th grader Lenin. Lenin had just completed a small project at the event and she seemed pretty excited.
Lenin: When I'm older, I kind of want to be an architect or a teacher. It's just like I get to build. I I get to design the whole buildings and sell.
TS: It's a mind shift that industry leaders are embracing for society to change...
Lenin: It just seems fun!
TS: and a future generation....to build upon.
