Women totaled more than half of U.S. payroll jobs last December, just the second time women have outnumbered men in the workforce, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Yet while women made up just a fraction of the construction workforce at nearly 10% in 2018, that number is on the rise. In particular, we have seen an influx of women in craft professional roles, increasing from 3% of the workforce to 12% between 2013 and 2018, according to ABC’s 2019 Workforce Development Survey.

That’s because construction offers numerous career opportunities with competitive salaries—especially compared to other industries. While women in the U.S. workforce earn an average of 81.1% of what their male counterparts make, the gender pay gap in the construction sector is significantly smaller, with women earning an average of 99.1% compared to men. In AZ, the annual salary for a craft professional is $43,800, and an electrician in our state averages $47,944.

There is no better time start a construction career, especially as an estimated 440,000 jobs needed to be filled in 2019 alone just to meet construction backlog. And at Arizona Builders Alliance, we are committed to recruiting and up skilling women so we can continue to develop a diverse and inclusive construction workforce and industry.

To learn more about career opportunities during Women in Construction Week, March 1-7, visit www.azbuilders.org.

About Arizona Builders Alliance

The ABA is an alliance of the Arizona Chapters of the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC), and the Associated General Contractors of America – Building Chapter (AGC). The ABA has offices in Phoenix and Tucson that represent over 300 member companies, including contractors and professional service firms that serve the needs of the commercial and industrial construction industry. The ABA’s purpose is to lead members and the construction industry to greater productivity and profitability through education, networking and business development opportunities and legislative advocacy.