Aecon Group encourages girls to consider futures in construction

A “Constructing Your Future” initiative to raise girls’ awareness of careers in the field of construction is being presented to second form students across St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Aecon Construction Group, contractors of the Kingstown Port Modernisation Project, are sponsoring the project, which is led by a group of career construction women.

St Vincent and the Grenadines Women in Construction (SVG WIC) is made up of construction professionals, both local and from global companies, with the goal of promoting construction careers as a valid choice for women of all ages.

“We want to reach girls with a non-traditional option at the time that they are making decisions about their future studies. Many young women don’t consider the construction field when they are imagining their future dream job.

“By letting girls know that there are many successful women who have chosen the construction path, it opens a door to thinking outside of the gender box,” said Alex King-vonKirschner, Social Specialist at Aecon Group.

The program involves second form girls hearing first-hand from female construction professionals, taking construction selfies to better imagine the role, and creating informational posters to share their learning with classmates. Information is given about different types of careers, challenges and accomplishments, educational requirements, and expected salaries.

“Constructing Your Future” was first presented to students attending school on the Leeward side of St. Vincent and on Union Island. The program will resume in January, beginning at North Windward Schools, Canouan and Bequia.

Beginning the program in the rural areas is designed to present options to students who may have fewer options than their counterparts in the capital. The program has been well received by secondary school principals and Form 2 teachers who have worked with SVG WIC to engage their female students.

Women are under represented in the construction industry. On average only 10 to 15 per cent of employees in the construction workforce are female. For example, in the United Kingdom, 85 per cent of the construction workforce is male. Of the women working in construction, the majority of female employees work in office-based roles such as accounting and administration. Barriers to increasing female employment include unconscious gender bias, lack of training opportunities and negative perceptions of women in construction. However, the construction field is changing, and is now more supportive of inclusion and diversity.

“There is room for everyone in the construction industry. Construction jobs offer a good rate of pay, exciting challenges, and room for career development for women as well as men. As St, Vincent and the Grenadines continues to develop, the need for a skilled workforce increases as well. From a business outlook, research has shown that diversity in the workplace improves creativity, leads to better decision making, and increases productivity. Literally, we build better together,” said King-vonKirschner.