McCarthy Building Cos. Commits to Boosting Gender Diversity in Construction

McCarthy Building Cos. has launched a series of initiatives to increase gender diversity in the construction industry. One of the most male-dominated industries, construction has few women working in both trade and leadership positions, but McCarthy has rolled out a series of programs to integrate more women throughout the field.

“At McCarthy, we have recognized that diversity drives better outcomes. We also want to represent the community. It is hard to go on an interview for a project and stand in front of female executives or [minority] owners, and we are only represented by white men. I think it is important that bring diverse perspectives as a general contractor,” Ileana Holguin, VP and project executive at the firm, tells GlobeSt.com.

At the top, McCarthy’s Partnership for Women program to give women tools and networking events to charge their careers. As a direct result of the program, the number of female employees in the region increased 33% and the number of female managers increased 56% from 2016 to 2020.

However, the most crucial program, according to Holguin is the Construction 101 educational program, which funnels women into the industry. “It is all about education. One of the things that we try to do is present job opportunities to young women, as young as in high school and middle school, and expose them to the construction industry,” she says. “This is a great field and it is very fulfilling. We have a construction 101 program that focuses on bringing exposure to the industry and teaches basics like how to use power tools or learn about concrete and drywall. This shows students that this is a viable career option. We want to make sure that we expose young women to these opportunities.”

Holguin notes the example of two women who entered the construction field after high school due to the program. “In the first year, two women that participated went into the construction field, and right out of high school they went into the trade. It is rewarding,” she says. “They are learning every day and they are getting paid good money. They would have never thought that they could make good money right out of high school.”

Finally, the company also offers flexible schedules to accommodate working mothers. Women tend to leave careers once they begin a family. “We are flexible and provide an opportunity to stay in the job and take care of their families or begin families,” says Holguin. “We want them to known they can do both within the construction industry.”