How the construction industry is recruiting more women

Tradeswomen truly keep the construction world going. To further promote the craft, Kate Glantz and Angie Cacace created Move Over Bob, a glossy magazine with a quirky name, to encourage young women to consider a construction career. “Bob,” Glantz explains, is a general term for men in the workforce.

“Their stories are real, raw and inspiring,” Glantz says. “With each issue, our goal is simple: any girl who picks up the magazine should see someone she can relate to, and someone who shows her what’s possible.”

Glatz’s resume is rich. Formerly in the Peace Corps, she traveled to Tanzania and Senegal, before working in government, startups and Hollywood over the last 15 years. 

Cacace spent a decade each as a barber and carpenter, and the two joined forces in 2024, after Glantz completed a carpentry pre-apprenticeship and was exploring her own path into the trades.

Despite having different paths into the trades, their mission was the same: show women that a career in construction is possible, fulfilling and lucrative. The answer: a trendy magazine made by women, for women.

The magazine is delivered through classrooms, so it can reach girls directly and provided to educators. The duo planned to place a print order for 5,000 copies in March 2025, but demand kept growing as word spread, so they kept increasing their estimates.

“We ultimately printed 20,000 copies of our first issue that debuted in August (2025). We are printing 25,000 copies of issue two,” she says. 

“Before we knew it, magazines were sitting in my dad’s construction warehouse, waiting to be delivered to 400-plus schools and nonprofits around Arizona.”

She says girls who feel curious, confident and capable should explore the trade.

“I want them to see that construction and skilled trades aren’t a last resort. They’re creative, technical, high-paying career paths that can open doors for decades,” Gantz says. “Equally important: I want them to feel part of a community who is cheering them on.”

The Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation has worked to attract girls to consider a construction career through Build Your Future Arizona and ElevateEdAZ.

“We launched it about five or six years ago, at a time when construction jobs were really looked down upon but were in critical demand and critical to our expanding economy,” says Jennifer Mellor, the foundation’s chief innovation officer. “We’ve done a lot of things over the last few years to really try to find new pathways for young women to enter into the construction trade.”

ElevateEdAZ provides students with work-based experiences and empowers educators to reimagine classroom learning through educator externships. 

“What resonates most with young people is people who look like them,” says Mellor, adding that nationally, 10% of the construction workforce are women.

“It’s really important to have panels of women focused on those opportunities. We have to be able to build those buildings for the TSMCs of the world to be successful.”

Mellor says Arizona boasts women who inspire girls. Women-owned or -managed companies include Hayden Construction, DP Electric and Concord General Contracting. 

“Companies are changing the way that they approach their workforce. They recognize the value that women bring to the industry, and they recognize the need,” she adds.

Over the past several years, Mellor has witnessed a “huge uptick in the number of students enrolling at the community college and construction trade programs.” 

Companies who want to encourage more women to join their ranks should consider the importance of workplace culture.   

“We need to have a more welcoming approach to this work,” Mellor continues. “I was actually with one of our school partners recently. We had a young woman who was interning with Rummel Construction. She explained that it’s predominantly male, but they are so kind and respectful of her as a woman in the workforce. That was really inspiring to hear because I don’t think women have always been treated that way in the past.”

Cassie Van Ess, vice president of business development for Wespac Construction, has witnessed an upward trend in women pursuing careers in construction since she began recruiting for the company in 2018. 

“Over the past five years, there’s been a noticeable increase in female candidates pursuing construction management and civil engineering degrees,” she says. 

Van Ess has employed several female summer interns, “some of whom take on roles such as project engineer and estimator,” she says. “Out in the field, our job sites have also seen more women working in the trades including drywall, painting, electrical, welding, concrete, roofing, metal panels, glass and glazing, and site maintenance/cleaning.”

Many women choose these programs as a cost-effective alternative to traditional college, allowing them to enter the workforce sooner through expedited apprenticeships. 

“They’re not only gaining hands-on experience earlier but also building successful, well-paying careers soon after high school graduation,” Van Ess says. “Pay equity is an important part of this conversation. At Wespac, gender does not influence compensation — period. We compensate based on experience, performance and responsibility, and we remain committed to fairness and transparency, even as we acknowledge that broader industry trends still have room to improve.”

The company actively supports Arizona State University’s Advancing Women in Construction forum held every February, and she encourages female employees to attend, participate and connect with other professionals in the industry.

“We also take pride in fostering an inclusive environment within our company,” Van Ess continues. “Whenever we have female candidates interested in opportunities at Wespac, we make a point to provide encouragement, mentorship and support to help them grow and succeed in their construction careers. In addition to traditional roles such as trades, project management, estimating and engineering, Wespac also highlights career paths for women in management, finance, risk management and marketing, demonstrating that construction offers diverse opportunities both on and beyond the jobsite.”

Kevin Lawler, co-founder of Valley Roofing & Repair, knows the secret behind successful business: diversity, dedication and talent of its people.

“For too long, the roofing industry has been viewed as a male-dominated field, but times are changing, and for the better,” Lawler says. “Recruiting and retaining women in roofing is not only vital for workforce growth, but also essential for driving innovation, improving client relationships and ensuring the long-term success of the industry.”

Lawler and his team feel strongly that women bring fresh perspectives, strong attention to detail and exceptional communication skills that enhance everything from estimating and project management to field leadership and client engagement.

“Their ability to balance technical precision with creative problem-solving elevates the quality of work and strengthens team dynamics,” he continues. “In fact, we have found that mixed-gender crews often outperform homogeneous teams in both productivity and collaboration, creating safer and more efficient job sites.”

According to Lawler, attracting more women to roofing also helps address one of the industry’s most pressing challenges: the skilled labor shortage.

“By opening doors in a smarter and more effective way to female talent, we expand the pool of qualified candidates and bring in individuals who might not have considered this rewarding trade,” he says. “That means taking an intentional approach to recruitment, including partnering with trade schools, community colleges and workforce programs to highlight roofing as a viable, high-paying and fulfilling career path for women.” 

However, recruitment is only the first step. In a tight labor market, keeping employees in the fold is crucial.  

“Retention requires a supportive culture where women feel valued, respected and given opportunities to advance,” Lawler concludes. “That means offering mentorship, leadership development, flexible schedules when possible, and a workplace free from bias or barriers. Celebrating the success stories of women in roofing — whether they are estimators, safety directors or project managers — shows the next generation what is possible.”