Women have found ways to leave their mark on the construction industry throughout history. Even though the industry has been traditionally male-dominated, the female presence is steadily growing and cannot be overlooked.
Women in Construction Throughout History
Today’s news may surround the climbing numbers of women in the construction industry, there is a long history of women in construction. In Medieval Times, women worked in the field doing tasks such as carrying water, digging ditches and mixing mortar. Some women who were lucky enough to learn crafts such as carpentry and masonry from their fathers or husbands were able to put those skills to work, but during these times it was also considered socially unacceptable to record construction work by women as “wage-earning work”. This means that they were often left off official records, making it difficult to determine the exact number of women who entered the industry during this time, but their presence is still apparent.
As the demand for labor increased after the Industrial Revolution, women were able to gain work in construction without as much social condemnation. In the late 19th century, we began to see female engineers and architects emerge. Emily Warren Roebline directed construction of the Brooklyn Bridge during this time.
World War II had a major impact on demand in the construction industry for women. While men were fighting on the front lines, women were left to fill the positions that were previously considered unsuitable for them. Women began working as welders, crane operators, electrical engineers, and more. When the war was over, however, the men returned and the women were pushed out of these positions. This played a major part in sparking the feminist movements of the 1960s. It wasn’t until midway through the ‘60s that the first law was passed to protect women in the workforce. Years later in 1979, Barbara Res was appointed as the first foreman to oversee a major American construction project from groundbreak to completion.
The Women of AWS
With March being Women’s History Month, we wanted to take some time to put a spotlight on the fantastic women we have here at Advanced Wall Solutions.
Michelle Romo – AWS National Sales Coordinator
Michelle has 30 years of experience in construction as a superintendent, project manager, business development, and office manager. Michelle enjoys spending time outdoors with her family hunting, fishing, hiking, and riding their Razor in the beautiful Southwest.
Linda Alegria – AWS Sales
Linda has worked with our team for over 8 years and has filled various roles such as office manager, project management, and procurement assistant. She has not only displayed leadership and organizational skills, but she is always up for a challenge. Her current goal is to learn how to install special materials such as Altro Whiterock.
These women are a large part of what has made our company what it is today and we are honored to be able to highlight their accomplishments.