Groundbreaking Women in Male-Dominated Fields Continue to Soar

Women continue to prove that the construction industry isn’t just for men. This untraditional career choice for women was evident at the Second-Annual Groundbreaking Women in Construction (GWIC) Virtual Conference hosted by trade publication ENR. GWIC took place May 4-6, 2021 with more than 1,100 virtual attendees. The event served as a catalyst to help women expand their presence, influence, and career success in the construction industry.

The group of trailblazing women from around the country enjoyed a multi-day virtual event packed with educational sessions and networking opportunities.

“During this event, it was inspiring to hear how the market is empowering women from different backgrounds to grow in the construction industry,” said Nadine Letourneau, Project Engineer, BrightView Landscape Development. “The discussions around the importance of mentorships hit home especially for BrightView and our industry-leading GROW team member resource group.”

BrightView is committed to diversity and is investing in initiatives that provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. BrightView founded GROW with the mission to attract, retain, and promote women at BrightView. GROW is an employee-led resource group that provides professional development, mentorship, networking and community service programs for the women of BrightView. Since its inception, more than 800 women have participated in GROW programs, from regional events and webinars, to networking opportunities.

Over three days, GWIC conference attendees participated in sessions that discussed how women industry leaders are managing for growth and success, building an inclusive workplace, changing work dynamics, and young women of color in construction.   The theme of the event was “Reboot · Reconnect · Reimagine.”

Although the construction and landscaping industries are historically dominated by men, the number of opportunities for women are increasing. With the growing importance of an inclusive working environment, many companies within the industry are making an effort to better support diversity and women in this field.

“The pandemic has particularly hit women hard, and now, more than ever, we need to support and nurture women in the industry,” said Patricia Justice, BrightView Human Resources Vice President.  “BrightView and GROW often align with the construction industry, so we hope to see inclusive events like this take place more often in the future.”