In Market Watch, the National Glass Association presents a quick glance at one economic indicator for glass industry leaders to track as they look to identify opportunities for growth and potential challenges ahead.
Despite making up 50 percent of the workforce, women comprise just 10 percent of the construction industry in the United States, according to 2018 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In Canada, the representation of women in construction is only slightly higher at 12.4 percent, according to a 2018 report from BuildForce Canada.
While women are underrepresented in construction, women in the sector do experience more pay parity. According to officials from the National Association of Women in Construction, “women in the U.S. earn on average 81.1 percent of what men make. The gender pay gap is significantly smaller in construction occupations, where women earn on average 99.1 percent of what men make.”
In 2020, the National Glass Association announced an alliance with NAWIC. “The National Glass Association is proud to partner with NAWIC to support women in construction,” said Nicole Harris, NGA president and CEO. “We know there are barriers still, and we can all do more to remind everyone that it’s good business to tap this underrepresented 50 percent of the population, especially now when everyone is so challenged to find and recruit talent.”
50% vs. 10%
Percent of women in the workforce versus percent of women in the construction industry workforce in the U.S.
