The National Coalition of Women of Color in Construction (NCWCC) exists to focus on accelerating the growth of women of color in the
contracting and construction industries. As a Trade Association, NCWCC is dedicated to providing resources, support, and opportunities for
women of color to thrive in these traditionally male-dominated fields.
Women of color face unique challenges in the trades industry, but organizations like NCWCC Center for Women’s Equity in Apprenticeship and Employment are working to provide support and resources to help them succeed. at NCWCC can provide useful strategies and practical applications to increase the number of women entering and being retained in registered apprenticeship through our online resources, technical assistance and training, summarized
Through online resources and technical assistance in English, NCWCC offers valuable strategies and practical applications to increase the number of women entering and being retained in registered apprenticeship programs. at NCWCC can provide useful strategies and practical applications to increase the number of women entering and being retained in registered apprenticeship through our online resources, technical assistance and training, summarized
By addressing the barriers that women of color face in the trades, NCWCC is helping to create a more inclusive and diverse workforce that benefits both individuals and the industry as a whole. at NCWCC Women in Trades can provide useful strategies and practical applications to increase the number of women entering and being retained in registered apprenticeship through our online resources, technical assistance and training, summarized
It is imperative that women workers are included in the allocation of historic investments in our country. Both the federal government and state governments must ensure equitable distribution of the benefits of these investments, including the location of projects and the employment opportunities for rebuilding our nation's infrastructure. By doing so, it is estimated that nearly 1.5 million good jobs could be created for women over the next decade.
The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides one of the most significant investments in the creation of good jobs in recent years. However, without intentional efforts to address occupational segregation in the key industries funded by the law, women could miss out on more than a million jobs in the next decade.
These investments come at a critical time for our economy. Not only are they essential to address our crumbling infrastructure, they will provide stable, well-paying jobs across the country. Accessing these jobs is particularly important for women and women of color, who were hit hard by the pandemic. Between February 2020 and April 2020, women lost nearly 11.9 million jobs. These job losses were especially large for Black women and Latinas, and women’s recovery has been slower than men’s. Even before the pandemic, women workers, particularly women of color, faced significant obstacles to economic security in large part due to racism, sexism, and discrimination which created barriers to good jobs that pay well, offer quality benefits and support workers’ right to come together in unions.
The IIJA, which provides $550 billion in historic new investments in transportation, communications, clean water and energy, and more, is estimated to add nearly 800,000 jobs to the economy annually. This offers a critical opportunity to increase women’s access to quality, well-paying jobs – but only if federal and state investments are implemented with gender and racial equity in mind.
Racism and sexism have combined to leave women historically underrepresented in industries funded by these investments. According to the Inter-American Development Bank, globally women account for fewer than 15 percent of all jobs in sectors pertaining to infrastructure and only 32 percent of all jobs in the renewable energy industry. The United States is no exception. Women comprise only ten percent of the construction industry and less than a third of manufacturing and wholesale trade jobs.*
This occupational segregation has severe implications. New National Partnership for Women & Families analysis reveals that if this funding is not implemented with a deliberate focus on increasing women’s footholds in these industries, women will lose out on this historic investment. We find that if the status quo persists:
By comparison, if occupational segregation were eliminated – in other words, if women filled these jobs at the same rate they hold jobs across the economy – women would gain an additional 145,070 jobs per year, including 18,130 more jobs for Black women, 21,140 more jobs for Latinas, 8,820 more jobs for AAPI women, 3,610 more jobs for multiracial women, and 830 more jobs for Native women.
Office: +1 770-817-0557
E-mail: ncwcc@ncwcc.org
Address: 10 Glenlake Parkway Ste 130 Sandy Springs Georgia 30328
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