There are many women within the roofing industry who are making a difference and paving the way for other women to succeed. Despite the challenges that women face in this male-dominated industry, they are proving that they are just as capable as their male counterparts. Women have been underrepresented in the construction industry since its inception. But today, women are making their mark on the field.
The History of Women in Construction
Women have been underrepresented at every level of the construction industry for centuries. In fact, only 5% of all construction workers are female. That’s why it’s important that we continue to promote gender equality in the workplace.
It is a common misconception that construction is a man’s job. It is typically seen as too dirty, or too hard, for women to even want to be a part of the field. However, there have been women in construction industries for centuries that are simply unknown due to the fact that women couldn’t always get recognition for their work. According to Go Construct, there were women in construction as early as the 1500s, and maybe even earlier. Women are continuously proving that they are just as capable as anyone else in fields that are typically thought of as male-dominated.
Women Within Roofing Today
Today, more than ever before, women are breaking into traditionally male-dominated fields. This includes roofing, where women now make up nearly 20% of the workforce and growing. As the number of women within the industry continues to rise, so does the quality of work.
The roofing industry offers many opportunities for women, including careers in sales, marketing, management, and more. As the number of women within the roofing industry grows, so does the need for more women-owned roofing businesses. Women-owned roofing businesses offer a unique perspective and set of skills to the industry, and are an important part of the roofing workforce. GAF takes a look into the ways in which women are taking over the roofing industry.
While there are still barriers to overcome, women of the movement are leading the charge toward greater diversity in the construction industry. For example, NRCA reports that women make up nearly half of the workforce in the residential sector, and more than one third of the workforce in commercial roof repair services.
The roofing industry is an exciting and growing field, and women of the movement are playing a vital role in its success. With the right training and experience, there are endless opportunities for women in the roofing industry.
Interviews With Real Women
It’s easy to overlook the real women actually within male-dominated industries. They deserve to have their voices heard and respected. Lifetime Quality Roofing recognizes this and has started an initiative to support women within roofing. We sat down with a few of the women of the movement from Lifetime Quality Roofing to ask them about their experiences in the construction industry.
Mikayla (Office Administrator):
Q: What has been your perception of construction before working in the roofing industry?
A: My perception was that it was a man’s world. But now I see that women actually run it. There’s a lack in how things are versus how perception is here. Sometimes it feels like a boys club. There’s a big lack of perspective here.
Q: What advice would you give your colleagues on how to collaborate in our industry better?
A: Have meetings where everyone is involved. Having meetings in a conference room where everyone can say what they want to say, and being collaborative without a monopoly on speaking time so everyone has an opportunity to share.
Q: What would you like to see happen in the construction industry in the future?
A: I’d like to see more women be hired. I also want to see more women in leadership roles. It would be nice to have more representative leadership roles for women, especially since we have so many capable women here that already do so much work.
Lynsie (Workflow Coordinator):
Q: Have you worked in roofing and/or the construction industry before Lifetime Quality Roofing?
A: Yes. I started in roofing doing customer service for production. I moved to production management about two years after that, and have done that for 9 years until I came to Lifetime.
Q: What would you like to see happen in the construction industry in the future?
A: I would like to see more women in the industry, and better collaborations between men and women. I think women are just as capable of having as many career opportunities in the industry as men.
Q: Anything else you’d like to share about you or your experience at Lifetime Quality Roofing?
A: Zach and Alex are really amazing to work with. I love sharing my ideas with them, and Joe as well. I'm very well received, and even if my ideas don't happen to be groundbreaking, they always entertain the idea and hear it all the way out, and I really appreciate that. I feel heard here.
Kristy (Controller):
Q: What has been your perception of construction before working in roofing?
A: My mom worked in the field my entire life. I've always felt like it was more male-dominated, but I feel like we've always been accepted as women in the industry, especially in the office. Usually the offices are more female dominated, except for big leadership positions that tend to be males. They have more knowledge of it, so maybe that's why they advance more readily. But I also think that's changing a lot because a lot more women are in the field and have the same knowledge and are advancing even more.
Q:What has been the most challenging?
A: I do feel like sometimes women aren't taken as seriously as men in the same position because the general consensus is that men should be more knowledgeable about construction. So sometimes our ideas are maybe shot down a little quicker.
Q: What is the most exciting part of your job or deliverable you’re responsible for?
A: I think the most exciting part about not just my position, but the company in general is the growth opportunities. Not even my position so much, but my department. We’ve been growing and growing, and there's going to be a lot more opportunities for women in leadership.
Alyse (Accounts Receivable Specialist):
Q: What has been the most surprising part of being a woman working in construction?
A: That there's not many women. I come from a bar atmosphere, but there weren't a lot of women there either. Just thinking women are making strides in the industry and it's becoming more prevalent for women to be there.
Q: What advice would you give your colleagues on how to collaborate in our industry better?
A: Communicate, don't be afraid to speak up if you see something wrong or you want to express your opinion.
Q: What would you like to see happen in the construction industry in the future?
A: Be more inclusive of women. Being in a manager or superior roles and not just reception.
Katie (Customer Experience):
Q: What was the most challenging part about working in the construction industry when you first entered?
A: The men didn't want to hear me even if what I had to say was correct, or if my idea would benefit us more. They didn’t want to listen to me. But I’m pretty outspoken so that didn't last very long. But that was difficult at first.
Q: What would you like to see happen in the construction industry in the future?
A: I’d like to see us expand and see more women in management positions.
Q: What is your career goal 5 years from now?
A: Continue to grow. I’d say within the next year I’d like to feel like I know more about what we do in roofing, the process a little better. And that will just come with time.
Brandi (Production Manager):
Q: Have you worked in roofing and/or the construction industry before Lifetime Quality Roofing?
A: Yes. I started out working for Habitat for Humanity and was a site superintendent for them building their new construction houses, because they also do rehabs, but I did construction. I supervised that job from start to finish. That was for three years.
Q: What has been the most surprising part of being a woman working in construction?
A: How it doesn't have to be a male-dominated field because you can learn it. Anybody can learn it. There's no reason anything should be gendered, but it's not on purpose. It's definitely not impossible for a woman to do it. 40 hours a week for a whole year I could learn anything I think. When I worked at Habitat, I was building two story houses for people to live in, I wasn't painting, I was building, and it was so teachable.
Q: What advice would you give your colleagues on how to collaborate in our industry better?
A: I think that maybe just don’t underestimate people. Ideas and solutions are better in diversity because we all have a vast background. Alex and Zach have so much more business experience, and Joe has better construction experience and management experience, and that’s why they are in the positions they are in. All of us are a puzzle that fits together because of our different backgrounds and experiences.
Sophia (Estimator):
Q: What has been the most surprising part of being a woman working in construction?
A: How a lot of the guys will try to filter themselves and apologize for saying certain things because I'm a girl. It wasn’t until I started being abrasive that they started to chill. Like the guys who used to apologize around me. I worked in a restaurant before so I’ve been around it before.
Q: What advice would you give your colleagues on how to collaborate in our industry better?
A: Just to open those lines of communication. Listen, take advice, absorb it, and communicate back ideas and questions. It’s what every business has ever revolved around: ideas and innovation.
Q: Anything else you’d like to share about you or your experience at Lifetime Quality Roofing?
A: I didn't know if I'd like working at a construction company, but overall I really like it. 90% of the people are very down to earth and funny. We have great department heads that if you have an issue you can always go to them, which is a very helpful component to have in a workplace.
Becky (Retail Sales Representative):
Q: What has been the most surprising part of being a woman working in construction?
A: How much money you can make. How smart and skilled the actual installers are. Just so many numbers and angles and math, I'm impressed. On the negative end, the people in the office seem much more receptive of me, whereas the actual installers I really have to win them over.
Q: What would you like to see happen in the construction industry in the future?
A: I would like to see more people go into it. More young people join the trades. If there is any stigma, I’d like for that to be erased. I just can’t believe how smart these people are and know what to do and keep track of everything.
Q: Anything else you’d like to share about you or your experience at Lifetime Quality Roofing?
A: I can’t say enough. The atmosphere is so good, it’s so positive. It seems people care and can actually go to a different department and voice a concern and get help and answers.
How Can You Help?
Now that we’ve heard from the perspective of women within the industry, how can we help support them? There are many ways to help women feel supported in the workplace. You could consider joining a local chapter of National Women in Roofing (NWIR). This organization helps women of the movement connect with other women within roofing for mentorship, education, and connection. Listening to other perspectives and ideas is another great way to be inclusive of everyone.
In order to support all the women at Lifetime Quality Roofing, whether they’re in Columbus, OH, Cincinnati, OH, Pittsburgh, PA, Dallas, TX, or Tampa, FL, we are starting our own organization. The Women of Lifetime Quality are coming together to support one another, while also looking to educate others for success. Our goal is to make the roofing industry more accessible for women, and to show that we are capable of anything. If you’d like to join our Lifetime Quality team, then give us a call at 614-407-7663!