The number of women in the construction industry continues to grow as young women are being made aware of the many opportunities available to them which were traditionally seen as only for men.
More outreach pro-grams are now in place to recruit women that were not seen 20 to 30 years ago. Opportunities are occurring in elementary through high school programs, including school aptitude testing. Firms have and continue to develop mentoring pro-grams to help guide employees in the development of their professional careers.
With job opportunities ranging from specialty trade and professional craft persons to architects, engineers, project management and women business ownership – the future is bright and rewarding for women who enter the construction industry.
Women who have entered the industry previously have also clearly demonstrated the aptitude for both specialty skilled labor and construction management, etc., paving the way for others to follow. Advances have been made in personal protective equipment and footwear that fit women. Diversity amongst the younger generational sectors has also had a favorable impact, with more women seen as an equal. We are all working to contribute to build a successful project regardless of our gender.
We still have inroads to make as we work to over-come gender or unconscious bias that can still exist, providing adequate training where women can continue to build on their career path, and pay equality. However, the rewards of accomplishment and recognition for contributions being made by women is growing.
Let’s keep the momentum going and celebrate “Women in Construction.”
Meet Some of the Women at Meyer Najem
Brianna Karimi
Project Manager
Leveraging 8 years of construction experience with a healthcare background, Brianna Karimi brings diverse expertise to the field. Her Florida-based portfolio boasts projects ranging from $500k to $60 million, encompassing both ground-up construction and renovations.
Brianna champions a growing female presence in construction, emphasizing its positive impact on safety. She highlights the crucial need for more inclusive Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) options, as most current gear caters primarily to a male body type, posing challenges for women to find suitable and potentially life-saving equipment.
Hillary Scott
Estimator
Hillary started in Purdue’s School of Engineering but switched to the Building Construction Management (BCM) program. She interned at DPR Construction in Miami on a LEED Gold project at Florida International University. Following graduation, Hillary spent four years at JE Dunn in Kansas City, specializing in corporate office headquarters. In 2016, she returned to Indiana and shifted to construction estimating at Shiel Sexton for two years before joining Meyer Najem in 2019, where she has been since.
Excited by the growing number of women joining the field, Hillary emphasizes the importance of inclusivity and diverse perspectives for project success. “Everyone’s opinion matters,” she states.