The future of the built environment depends on women

Throughout my career, I’ve worked closely with clients across the built environment, including architecture, engineering, construction and infrastructure. That proximity has allowed me to see how ideas become projects, how decisions are made, and how culture shows up in both boardrooms and on the job site. As a strategic communication consultant, I’ve helped those shaping the built environment navigate periods of change as workforce demands, project complexity and public expectations continue to grow. It has also given me a clear vantage point on one of the most pressing challenges facing the future of the built environment: a workforce development crisis threatening the ability to deliver the projects and infrastructure our communities depend on. Addressing that challenge will require fully engaging and retaining the next generation of talent, with women positioned as a critical part of the solution.

This column marks the first of what I hope to be many focusing on women’s experiences in the built environment. The idea for this series took shape after I attended several community events celebrating women’s contributions across industries. In particular, I found inspiration at the Women of Vision Awards hosted by DJC Oregon. The stories shared that evening, centered on leadership, ingenuity, perseverance and impact, were uplifting and extraordinary. They underscored how much stronger the built environment becomes when women’s perspectives are valued and fully integrated.

So, today we begin with a look at how women are represented across the built environment workforce and how their perspectives are integrated into the way teams operate, solve problems and make decisions.

Progress worth recognizing

Women’s participation across AEC and infrastructure has grown steadily over the past several decades. Looking at the most recent data available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2023), women now represent between 5 and 10 percent of the overall construction workforce nationwide, depending on the specific trade, which is the highest it’s been in decades. In architecture and engineering, women account for roughly 21 percent of the workforce overall, with stronger representation among architects and early-career engineers.

Compared to even just a decade ago, more women are working at the highest levels, leading multidisciplinary teams, managing complex stakeholder relationships, overseeing regulatory and safety requirements and shaping how projects impact the communities where they’re located. In the skilled trades, where representation has historically been limited, the percentage of women is also growing steadily.

Where integration continues to lag

While this progress is promising, women remain underrepresented in both craft roles and leadership positions across the AEC sector. Tradeswomen continue to be a small minority on jobsites, particularly in infrastructure-heavy fields such as highway, utility and heavy civil construction. Leadership presents another challenge. Women hold just over 10 percent of manager positions in the built environment.

Even in disciplines where women enter in greater numbers, advancement into senior and decision-making roles occurs at a slower pace compared with their male counterparts. Compensation inequity continues to be a contributing factor. Across the U.S. workforce, women earn about 84 percent of what men earn for comparable work, and in many built environment fields, the gap is wider. Over time, these disparities affect job satisfaction, retention and advancement, ultimately undermining workplace culture and long-term workforce stability.

The result is a limited range of perspectives shaping infrastructure investment and project delivery at a moment when the built environment requires broader thinking, stronger collaboration and a deeper bench of experienced talent.

How women’s perspectives strengthen teams

From what I have observed working alongside teams in the built environment, women often bring approaches grounded in collaboration, clear communication and practical problem-solving, all of which support stronger teams and better project outcomes. These approaches tend to show up in how teams navigate complexity, manage risk and communicate across disciplines and stakeholder groups. In an industry where projects are long-term and highly visible, those skills are essential to delivering work efficiently and earning public trust. As we confront persistent labor shortages, fully leveraging women’s contributions is essential to workforce capacity and performance.

What integration looks like in practice

To continue the positive strides of women in the built environment workforce, organizations will need to create accountability at all levels across both professional and craft settings. This includes clear advancement criteria, equitable compensation practices and intentional sponsorship into leadership and high-visibility project roles.

Further, women’s participation in decision-making must become a standard practice. Expectations around culture, safety and respect must be explicit. Facilities, equipment and safety gear should reflect the reality that women are part of the workforce. Recruitment into apprenticeships needs to be intentional, and pathways from apprentice to journeyworker to leadership should be visible and attainable.

If made a priority, these practices will strengthen organizations and support better outcomes across projects of every scale.

Looking ahead

There’s a reason for optimism. The progress underway, reflected in workforce participation, leadership visibility and the stories shared by women across built environment fields, signals continued momentum.

As this “Women at Work” series continues, I will explore how organizations are moving toward deeper integration of women across the built environment and creating work environments where women’s perspectives are expected, valued and embedded. I will also highlight the stories of women making a difference in their professions and the communities they serve. If you have a perspective to share, I would love to hear from you.

Originally published January 23, 2026 in DJC Oregon as the first installment of Kelliann’s “Women at Work” series.