Industry Workforce of the Future Requires Advanced Skills, More Training...and Women
TARRYTOWN, NY—A career in the construction trades offers a world of opportunities for women, said a leading member of organized labor in New York State. The trendlines are certainly tracking that way: since January 2020, the female construction workforce has grown more than 21%, compared to less than 8% for men. Last year, when overall industry hiring slowed, women filled 12,000 of the 14,000 construction jobs added in 2025.
Admittedly, much of this growth comes from office and support roles rather than traditional trades, the research showed. But the trend shows nevertheless women steadily gaining ground. Industry employment data counts anyone working for a construction firm, from marketing professionals to onsite carpenters.
During the month of March, which has seen scores of activities presented under the banner of “Women in History Month,” organized labor joined the union contracting community to broaden its outreach to constituents that have not historically been drawn to the Building Trades for employment. Patrick J. Purcell, Jr., executive director of the Greater New York Laborers-Employers’ Education & Cooperation Trust (GNY LECET) recently explained some of the techniques the Laborers’ employ in their efforts to recruit more high school students into the labor ranks. He laid out the education trust’s multi-timed approach to build awareness and understanding of the opportunities that await young recruits.
The three-step program Mr. Purcell’s organization directs includes early engagement in the school year, with presentations made in the fall with a focus on all building trades unions. A second appeal during the winter months focuses on a presentation specific to LiUNA apprenticeship. Come spring, there are after-school presentations for students with an active interest and parents.
“We will need to increase our outreach to the parents of these high school students to educate them to the advantages of a career in the trades,” he said. “We must broaden our efforts to increase the number of women and minorities to the construction trades. Together labor and management have the skill, the scale and the structure to make this effort a success,” Mr. Purcell concluded.
Next Month: While recruitment of women into construction has improved, retention remains a major challenge due to workplace culture, unclear advancement pathways and a shortage of support systems. Read what the region’s contracting community is doing about in concert with organized labor are doing about it.
Published: March 17, 2026.