"Women in the Workforce" is a constant discussion. I wonder how we are doing with everyone's efforts to continue this mission of gender inclusion and equity.
Reading the recent article dated November 16, 2023, How Historic Infrastructure Investments Can Advance Equity in the Labor Force | U.S. Department of Labor Blog (dol.gov), I have mixed feelings. It is stated that women make up 50% of the workforce, which is great, but it goes on to show where we are still falling short. According to the article, women make up:
* only 4% of the construction building trades workforce
* less than one-third of the manufacturing workforce
* about 14% of active apprentices
* about 4.5% of apprentices in the construction trades
In September 2023, the Department of Labor released 'Tools for Building an Equitable Infrastructure Workforce: Gender Equity Strategies as a Model', "which provides information on the barriers women face in accessing male-dominated infrastructure careers, along with strategies and resources for overcoming them. It also provides examples of successful programs and policies from across the United States, highlighting ways that groups are working to tackle these issues in their own areas. The toolkit is structured around three overarching themes:
1. make the intentional choice to build a diverse workforce; 2. do targeted recruitment and address barriers to entry; and 3. retain a diverse workforce. "
I love their motto of Want Women, Get Women and Keep Women! We can all improve upon these three initiatives. If you are struggling with the "how" to CHOOSE, TARGET RECRUIT, and RETAIN, this article and the toolkit are great places to start.
You may even look into learning and development opportunities that address these goals. Some of my relevant training topics found at https://www.hrs-mt.com/training-and-development include:
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Celebrating Uniqueness Discrimination Harassment in the Workplace - What Compliance Looks Like Staffing Strategies - Recruit, Interview, and Hire Successfully Employee Retention - Keeping Your Greatest Assets Change isn't a @#$% Letter Word - Becoming and Agile Pivot Master Corporate Culture - Creating a Positive and Mindful Workplace Culture
Keep up the good work with your gender equity strategies and contact me if I can be of assistance to you to reach your goals.
