The Program for the Study of Women and Gender and the Engineering Department will be presenting “Only 3% Are Women?! A Forum on Diversifying the Construction Workforce” on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. in Weinstein Auditorium. As of 2017, only 3 percent of the construction labor force in the United States is made up of women. There is much work to be done in terms of diversifying this field, and Smith has a large role to play in this movement as we undergo the massive Neilson Library construction project.
During this forum, students will have the chance to meet some of the tradeswomen working on the Neilson Library construction project. These women are locally-based construction workers and will speak to their experience organizing for the inclusion of women and people of color in construction projects, as well as access to adequate training, livable wages and fair benefits.
Students will also be encouraged to engage in discussion regarding Smith’s role in the diversification of this field during the Neilson construction project. Afterward, speakers will address institutional policies regarding equitable working conditions during future campus construction projects. This forum will be a great way for students to learn how our institution can benefit the lives of tradeswomen within the broader community.
