The challenges and opportunities faced by women in the construction industry when progressing their careers in trades and professional roles

The construction industry has been male-dominated for as long as it has existed. The number of women in the industry has fluctuated over the past few decades, with more women joining the industry during crises and emergencies - for example, when the industry experiences labour shortages. The industry has a constant need for skilled people, yet the number of women in the construction industry is low and has increased little, despite efforts by construction companies and governments to promote gender balance and diversity. This study aims to provide an understanding of some of the challenges and opportunities faced by women throughout their career in the industry. This research compares the lived experience of women and their male counterparts across trades and professional roles in the construction industry. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with 53 participants (25 females and 28 males) in a variety of roles in the construction industry in Australia and New Zealand (NZ). Phenomenography was used as the primary qualitative method. The analysis process included establishing significant statements, generating meaning units and developing essence descriptions. In addition, observations recorded during the interviews were used in the analysis process. The following theories, principles and concepts were used throughout the data analysis process to make meaning: inner work life and the progress principle, the concept of small wins, self-efficacy theory and social cognitive career development, the theory of sensemaking in organisations, and the concepts of sensebreaking and sensegiving. Among the challenges mentioned in the literature regarding women in construction (e.g., boys club, lack of networks, tokenism and sexism), this research highlights several additional points that affect progress towards gender diversity. Most men do not take accountability and responsibility for gender diversity and therefore are not fully engaged in, or do not feel obliged to, promote women or diversity. Most of the men who were interviewed for this research hold traditional gender role ideas and view gender discourse as a distraction to business. Another challenge highlighted by this research is the prohibition of emotions at work, which may prevent both men and women from nourishing their inner work life to achieve optimal productivity and wellbeing, and which may act to sustain the industry's masculine culture. Much of the evidence provided in this research supports scholars' arguments that the industry's culture is one of the biggest challenges for gender diversity. Despite the destructive effect of the industry's culture on women's careers and the significant negative challenges it generates, this research found positive evidence that these challenges can act as catalysts for change and assist women to advance their careers in male-dominated industries. Women were found to instigate and be engaged in slow bottom-up change. This study found that women in professional roles and trades are active in mentoring and recruiting more women into the industry. As part of the bottom-up change, and in contrast to the literature, women were found to bond with other women in the industry, actively build their networks and seek role models and support. Females in trades have established networks to connect with and assist each other to find apprenticeships and jobs. Evidence shows that women in trades and professional roles in NZ have a greater presence on construction sites and are more active in claiming their rights and planning and pursuing career progression compared with women in Australia. It is possible that the emergency conditions under which women in NZ have operated since the Christchurch earthquake in 2011 have enabled them to progress their careers. Despite the positive progress and the motivation exhibited by women, gender discourse and the industry's culture remain the most significant factors impeding women's career choice, progression and retention. Although both women and men are attracted to careers in profes ional roles for reasons related to passion for maths and sciences, women tend to compromise on their career aspirations due to gender discourse and concerns about their feminine image in a masculine industry, whereas men blindly follow the career advice of their school councillor or family members. A similar process was evident in trades. Men and women were found to be exposed to trades through family members at an early age; this evidence confirms earlier scholarly discoveries in this area. However, while men manage to follow their career aspirations, for women, only those with strong family support - mostly from their fathers - take up a career in trades. Women's career progression is impeded by a number of challenges that the industry's culture imposes on women who work onsite. While men tend to progress in their career in a linear fashion, women seem to plan an exit to more gender-oriented roles to avoid burnout. This research makes a theoretical contribution to the study of the lived experience of women and men in the construction industry, and to the under-researched area of women in trades. Specifically, the research provides new insights into some of the reasons behind the low number of women in construction and the emerging bottom-up change process that women have initiated to change their reality. The practical contribution of this study highlights the need for culture change and for systematic support for women in areas ranging from career decision-making to career development and retention. It also highlights the bottom-up change process as an opportunity not to be missed.