There are more women in the construction industry today than ever before.
Historically, the industry has been dominated by males, and while that is still true today, we are slowly challenging this reality as the number of women in construction is steadily increasing. In 2021, women made up 10.9% of the United States construction industry which is up from 9.9% in 2018.
This momentum is inspiring and is a motivator to continue the work of our many dedicated organizations, such as the Women Construction Owners & Executives (WCOE) California Chapter and the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of California. As leaders in the industry, WCOE and ABC of California chapters are working tirelessly to recruit, train, and create pathways for women to secure construction careers.
ABC of California Member Companies Achieve World-Class Safety Performance in Construction Industry
Sacramento, Calif., (May 18, 2022) — Associated Builders and Contractors of California (ABC of California) today announced the California companies that achieved top honors on its national organization’s 2022 Safety Performance Report – an annual study utilizing a safety management system that dramatically improves safety performance among participants regardless of company size or type of work.
The report details the dramatic impact of using proactive safety practices to reduce recordable incidents by up to 84%, making the best-performing companies, including 16 companies across the Golden State, 645% safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics construction industry average.
“ABC of California and our contractor members understand that our people are our greatest asset, and we will continue to advance world-class safety through valuable resources like the Safety P ...
As more women continue to build paths in various industries that have typically been male dominated—tech, manufacturing, trucking, construction—they are also building more opportunities as well as buildings.
In March, The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of California, a state chapter of ABC, a national construction trade association, celebrated “Women in Construction Week”, highlighting the initiatives and work of women within in the industry.
“Women in Construction Week” was introduced in 1960 by the National Association of Women in Construction, which was founded in 1953.
Sacramento, Calif., April 1, 2022 – The Associated Builders and Contractors of California (ABC of California) today renewed its commitment to Second Chance Month in April – making a pledge to lift those up who are committed to rejoining society and making meaningful contributions. In March of 2021, the White House Proclaimed April as “Second Chance Month,” citing that incarcerated individuals after serving their time should have the opportunity to fully reintegrate into society and that America’s criminal justice system must offer meaningful opportunities for redemption and rehabilitation.
Opinion Editorial by Charles Oliver, a Carpentry Apprentice at ABC Northern California Chapter and works at Anderson Pacific Engineering
A little over 7 years ago, I needed a career change. I was in a job that I had no chance of moving forward. I was a high-school graduate who needed more training to build the life that I wanted for my wife and children. That’s when I took a chance with a local construction company and my career took off. Now, I’m getting an opportunity for tuition-free craft training in the Associated Builders and Contractors of Northern California’s (ABC NorCal) Carpentry Apprenticeship Program and I’ve already graduated from the ABC NorCal’s Construction Craft Laborer Program.
Bakersfield Californian, March 23, 2022
This Women’s History Month we are highlighting women who are making a difference in the community here at 23ABC.
If you spend the day with these women, you’ll learn how to use everything from cranes to lifts. Their goal being to show if they could do it on their first day so could any other woman.
“Most of your training you learn here, you don’t have to have much training just the will to work,” said Bonita Sanchez, Welding Foreman at JTS Modular.
Bo started out at JTS as a welder then became a team lead and is now a foreman.
“I am very proud of myself for my accomplishments and where I am at today. It's been a lot of hard work working in this male dominated field. It's pretty hard looking for a job and I’m just really proud of myself.”
According to Bonita, when women get involved in construction there's no limit to the heights you can reach.
Read the full article here.
Opinion Editorial by Lisa Kelly published in the Bakersfield Californian on May 10, 2022
California’s workforce was weakened by the COVID-19 pandemic and while we are regaining many jobs, we have a long road ahead. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, men have largely recouped their labor force losses, while more than 1 million fewer women were in the labor force in January 2022 compared to February 2020.
Newly appointed to lead the Northern California chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, Deborah Maus will focus on apprenticeship support and providing long-term career opportunities.
Associated Builders and Contractors' Northern California Chapter Board of Directors has chosen Deborah Maus as its new president and CEO.
Maus' career has spanned over 25 years in strategic and operational leadership, including executive positions in transportation systems management with Parsons Brinckerhoff (now WSP USA) and the South Natomas Transportation Management Association in Sacramento. She made her move into construction trade associations in 2017, when she took on her most recent role as CEO of the Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors of California.
Sacramento, Calif., October 26, 2021 – Associated Builders and Contractors of California (ABC of California) today announced 324 contractor members have achieved world-class safety standards through the Associated Builders and Contractor’s STEP Safety Management System. According to ABC’s 2021 Safety Performance Report, STEP participants, regardless of company size or type of work, can reduce recordable incidents up to 85%, making the best-performing companies more than six times safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average.
Three years ago, I was in federal prison wondering what life would be like on the other side of my sentence. Looking at my life now, I’m grateful that I found a purpose and a trade that gave me a second chance.
I owe a lot to the Associated Builders and Contractors of California (ABC of California) Electrical Apprenticeship program and Champion Electric for treating me like a member of the family. Because one person had faith in me, I was introduced to the program that almost sounded too good to be true and I felt like I had a bright future ahead.
ABC of California offered me a competitive wage, health care coverage, classroom and field training, and hands-on experience with Champion Electric where I am learning the craft from experts in the industry. It is hard work, but it beats the alternative which could’ve landed me in a different spot than I am today.
After time with the criminal justice system in 2010, I experienced the job rejection that many like myself deal with upon re-entering the workforce. While I was more than qualified for job after job, as soon as they saw the box checked for a felony conviction, my resume went straight to the trash.
Now, years later and with a national craft competition win under my belt, I am experiencing another kind of box-checking rejection. As a non-union roofing construction worker, I will not be able to work at Gavilan College if a Project Labor Agreement is adopted.
California’s Central Valley has some of the highest unemployment rates in the state and it’s the reason Gov. Gavin Newsom said in his first State of the State Address in 2019 that he was committed to unlocking the enormous potential of the Valley. Coming out of the pandemic, the Central Valley is working hard to get back on its feet and we’re encouraged that the state Legislature recently passed a host of bills to protect workers from facing unemployment amid the pandemic. Yet it’s baffling that a legislator would introduce Senate Bill 419 authored by Sen. Henry Stern of Los Angeles — a bill that puts Central Valley workers in the state’s oil and gas industry out of work in the most disadvantaged region of the state.
New Santa Ana, April 30, 2021
The White House Proclaimed April as “Second Chance Month,” citing that incarcerated individuals after serving their time should have the opportunity to fully reintegrate into society – lifting up those who are committed to rejoining society and making meaningful contributions. Californians are taking that mission seriously and have success stories to prove it.
Sacramento, Calif., April 30—Today, Associated Builders and Contractors announced the findings in its 2021 Safety Performance Report, an annual assessment that furthers the construction industry’s understanding of how to achieve world-class safety by deploying its STEP Safety Management System. Published to coincide with Construction Safety Week, May 3-7, the annual report details the drastic impact of using proactive safety practices to reduce recordable incidents by up to 85%, making the best-performing companies more than six times safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average.
Opinion Editorial by Diane Koester-Byron, Published in Times of San Diego on March 31, 2021
In March we celebrated women’s accomplishments from business, politics, and sports. Women across the globe are already breaking the glass ceiling hundreds of times over. There is much to be learned from these inspiring accomplishments as we move forward in our personal lives and careers.
Sacramento, Calif., March 18, 2021 – The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of California today applauded the California State Assembly’s bi-partisan passage of Assembly Concurrent Resolution 23 (ACR 23) to proclaim March 18, 2021 as Construction Suicide Prevention Awareness Day in California – an important health problem impacting the state’s construction industry.
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