We all know that the construction industry has traditionally been a male-dominated field. But if you’re not aware of the movement to change this, you’ve been sleeping on the job.
For decades, thousands of men and women have been fighting to get more women into trades, and the carpentry sector is a prime example.
The statistics for trade involvement are still bleak - numbers presented by NAWIC show that women make up only 9.9 percent of the US construction industry. The numbers have been largely static for the past 25 years. However, there’s upwards mobility within the sector, with data showing that the percentage of females classified as construction managers grew from 5.9% to 7.7% between 2003 and 2018.
In terms of carpentry, the stats are even worse: according to Data USA, only 2.2% of carpenters across the country are women. With these numbers in mind, it’s important to highlight the amazing initiatives in place for the advancement of women in the construction industry.
That’s where organisations like Sisters in the Brotherhood come in. The SIB was created within The United Brotherhood of Carpenters, and is focused on supporting its female members, and addressing the gender imbalance in the field. The union aims to elevate women by offering craft training and carpentry skills as well as related expertise like leadership skills.
SIB is focused on their goal of building a stronger union for both male and female carpenters. They offer a true community for women in trades, both on a local and national level. If you’re wondering where your local SIB regional committee is based, you can find out here and read some of their recent updates.
The Sisters are not the type to sit around and wait for change. They’re getting out there and taking political action to make positive changes for women in male-dominated fields - such as running campaigns, phone banks and material drops.
If you think about a union carpenter, what image comes to mind? What if you thought of a female union carpenter? It might be time for you to imagine somethin...
There’s lots of great resources on offer from SIB. For women interested in learning more about what’s going on in the Sisterhood, their free newsletter contains useful information and tips for creating and maintaining a strong local chapter of SIB.
Carpentry is a growing field, and it’s clear that women need to get a bigger piece of the pie. So what are you waiting for? Get involved, and become a Sister in the brotherhood here!
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