The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) has released a research paper by the 2018 IWD Scholarship recipient, Dr Phillippa Carnemolla, that explores why so few girls are choosing a career in construction.
Since women entering and remaining in the construction industry remains well below parity, Dr Carnemolla’s research examined how construction is portrayed and perceived by the very women it hopes to attract as well as where they come from.
Some of her findings include:
• High school girls can’t visualise themselves in a construction career
• Schools, teachers and parents are not recommending a career in construction to high school girls
• There is a lack of understanding about the diverse scope of jobs and careers that comprise the construction industry
• Parents perceptions of the industry are influential in steering students away from the industry
In addition to exploring high school girls’ thoughts and opinions of the industry, the report also analysed university data on female students who are interested in a career in construction, revealing both the perceptions of construction, and where interest is coming from, both important contributions when addressing the imbalances in our industry.
For more on the report, go to www.nawic.com.au
