Careers in construction, carpentry and highway infrastructure have historically been harder for women to access. Limited training pipelines, childcare challenges, jobsite culture and unclear advancement paths have all contributed to the imbalance.
Yet at a time when the industry faces a persistent labor shortage, women remain an underutilized resource. Women make up just over 11% of the U.S. construction workforce, according to the National Association of Home Builders. While that is the highest percentage in two decades, it still represents significant untapped potential.
Scott Taylor, dean of workforce development and continued studies at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, believes that closing this gap requires more than encouragement — it requires structure.
Expanding women’s participation in construction could help alleviate workforce shortages, improve collaboration on jobsites and bring broader perspectives to complex projects. But moving beyond incremental gains demands intentional program design and durable partnerships between higher education and industry.
Even as a small women’s liberal arts institution, Stephens College identified a need to step into workforce training. Leaders looked at major infrastructure projects planned across Missouri — particularly the expansion of I-70 — and began asking practical questions: Where will the workers come from? How can students be prepared not just technically, but culturally, for the jobsite?
The college concluded that any successful workforce initiative had to be shaped by contractors themselves.
Stephens partnered with industry leaders, including women already working in construction, to co-design its Construction Pre-Apprentice Program. The curriculum blends technical skills with frank conversations about jobsite culture, expectations and long-term career development.
This collaboration directly addressed barriers that often discourage women from entering the trades: lack of mentorship, limited support networks and male-dominated environments. In addition to instruction, the program incorporated wraparound support such as childcare considerations, transportation planning, mentoring and even gender-specific portable toilet access on jobsites.
By building these elements into the structure of the program, Stephens aimed to make participation realistic and sustainable.
One early success story is Avery, a 2024 graduate of the pilot cohort. She completed all program requirements and entered a pre-apprenticeship with local contractor Reinhardt Construction, which collaborated on developing the curriculum.
Avery transitioned from student to union carpentry apprentice and now works full-time for Reinhardt. Her experience illustrates how pairing classroom learning with hands-on mentoring can remove common barriers to entry.
By combining financial support, academic instruction and direct employer involvement, the model reduces uncertainty for students and gives contractors access to prepared, motivated workers. Taylor argues that similar partnerships could be replicated across states facing infrastructure expansion and skilled labor shortages.
Women bring both labor and perspective to construction teams. In an industry grappling with retirements and fewer young entrants, broadening participation is not simply about equity — it is about sustainability.
Programs intentionally designed with mentorship and peer networks increase retention, not just recruitment. When women see viable pathways to leadership roles and long-term careers, construction becomes more than a temporary job option.
Clearer career ladders also help shift perceptions among young people weighing career choices. Presenting the trades as professional, forward-looking and financially stable can compete more effectively with four-year degree pathways.
Taylor emphasizes that going to college versus pursuing an apprenticeship does not have to be an either-or decision. Hybrid models that integrate higher education with trade preparation offer flexibility and credibility to students navigating their futures.
Now five cohorts in, the Stephens College Construction Pre-Apprentice Program remains relatively young. Still, its timing aligns with rising infrastructure investment and renewed attention to workforce development nationwide.
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Taylor outlines several steps for institutions and firms looking to follow suit:
Workforce development, Taylor argues, is not a side initiative — it is a strategic investment.
When companies and colleges collaborate to design inclusive pathways, they do more than address labor shortages. They build stronger, more resilient teams equipped to handle increasingly complex projects.
The next generation of skilled women workers, he suggests, is ready and waiting. The challenge now is ensuring that the route from classroom to jobsite is visible, supported and accessible.
Originally reported by Scott Taylor in Construction Dive.
