Check out the Question & Answers with Women Who Build here!

On February 21, more than 200 women and men will gather for the Construction Institute’s award-winning program - the Annual Women Who Build Summit. The theme of this year’s program is “Collaborating to Build Your Future.” The program will bring together women and men across sectors in the A/E/C (architecture, engineering and construction) industry who are working together to transform the industry. They represent the diversity of professions that it takes to design, construct, and maintain a high-rise, a school, a bridge, or a road and include every generation in the industry. Our speakers and panelists, both women and men, are industry leaders in business and in technological innovation and leaders in the community. Just as the most successful construction projects are those with the most effective collaboration among the professions, the most successful approaches to building a corporate culture or a career in the industry involves fostering inclusion and collaboration. 

At the same time, in this industry it is not unusual for a female engineer, architect, project manager, or even a construction lawyer to be the only woman in a room of male colleagues. It is even more common for a woman who is an electrician, plumber, or welder to be the only woman on a job. The opportunity to attend a conference predominated by women in the profession is unique. But what value does that opportunity deliver? In the words of Laurie Dalton White, founder of the Conferences for Women, “Something special happens when you see that you are not alone. Making connections and building relationships with other attendees and speakers helps women form an understanding of their worth, and then they learn strategies to ask for promotions, seek fair pay, and even become mentors to others.” The power is in connecting.

This year, the Construction Institute is pleased to share its project – The Wall of Women (www.wallofwomen.net) with the industry and with organizations promoting STEM and trades education for young women. The photos show real women at work in the industry. If you would like to learn more, please contact the Construction Institute.

We hope you will all join us on February 21, for a day of celebration, education and inspiration.

Champion of Change Winners

• Laura Cruickshank, FAIA,
Associate Vice President, Master Planner & Chief Architect at the University of Connecticut

• James Kodman
Associate Director - Facilities Engineering & Construction at Pratt & Whitney