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Welcome to Women in Construction Week! This annual event takes place during the first full week in March to highlight the great initiatives and history of women in the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner (AECO) industry. |
Since the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) held the first Women in Construction Week in 1998, the celebration has grown and expanded each year. This year’s theme, “Many Paths, One Mission,” celebrates the different journeys women have taken toward the same goal: to strengthen and amplify the success of women in the industry.
CSI takes great pride in supporting the work women do throughout the AECO community. Here are three key resources CSI has developed to help women strengthen their success in the construction industry.
- Invest in Yourself: CSI offers benchmark, advanced certification programs – the CDT®, CCCA®, CCS® and the CCPR™ so any member can demonstrate their understanding of the entire construction process and concrete skills. This new blog by “Young Architect” Michael Riscica, CSI, CDT, explains how obtaining the CDT can provide the practical skills to help build your professional future.
- Host a Let’s Build Camp for Girls: This free, week-long camp provides young women an opportunity to explore the world of building and imagine a myriad of career opportunities they may not have otherwise considered. Through hands-on experience and projects, the campers walk through the exploration of the AECO fields. “This camp is important to those interested in construction-related careers because it gives them exposure to the work they would have to do,” said 2019 camp graduate Paige Knowles. See how your CSI Chapter can apply for funding to host a Let’s Build Camp for Girls. You can also donate directly to the Let’s Build Construction Camp on the CSI Foundation page.
- Become a Mentor: Few things are more powerful for a young professional than benefiting from the wisdom of someone who has excelled in the field. Dallas-based specifier Peyton Cordell, who helped induct Susan Bliss, CDT, CCS, CCCA, into the Class of Fellows in 2021, said of Susan’s mentorship, “She gave me a chance, with only an English degree, to begin writing specifications for her company. The professional growth I’ve experienced has been tremendous. It let me gain the knowledge I’m continuing to gain every day.” Whether it’s at your local chapter, your firm, or in the certification study groups, consider how your mentorship might help a woman in construction achieve her goals.