Canterbury New Zealand is rebuilding from a massive earthquake in 2010. The government of New Zealand has made it a priority to get women into these jobs. Political will has made it happen. 2400 women working on the rebuild equal 17.8% of the workforce! See it here.
Showing posts with label diversity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diversity. Show all posts
Friday, October 23, 2015
Monday, December 15, 2014
Repost: MassGaming to establish ‘Access and Opportunity’ committee, Initiative created to support state’s commitment to ensuring workforce and vendor diversity
Last week, The Massachusetts Gaming Commission announced their plans to establish an Access and Opportunity Committee for "the primary function of monitoring diversity in the construction workforce and supplier base of the state's resort-casino licensees" (MGC Communications, 11 Dec. 2014). This motion was passed unanimously by The Commission on December 4. The Policy Group on Tradeswomen's Issues (PGTI) co-conveners Susan Moir and Elizabeth Skidmore expressed their excitement for the achievement, which was spurred in part by The Commission's collaboration with PGTI. "'After six years of hard work developing best practices for increasing the number of women in construction jobs, this is a great milestone, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Commission'" (MGC Communications, 11 Dec. 2014). With major construction planned for new casinos in Massachusetts, this motion means hundreds of jobs for tradeswomen.
To read the full news release, visit http://massgaming.com or download the PDF.
To read the full news release, visit http://massgaming.com or download the PDF.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Repost: Construction-Training Grads Are All Women
The Construction Workforce Initiative 2 Program in New Haven, CT, recently presented 37 women with certificates of completion. This graduation ceremony marked the matriculation of their first women-only class in the construction training program. (Markeshia, 23 Oct. 2014).
Visit http://www.newhavenindependent.org to read the full article.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Event Recap: "Paving the Way for Women in Construction" Webinar
"Paving the Way for Women in Construction: Creating Systems and Supports that Work," an October 1, 2014 webinar hosted by the United States Department of Labor Women's Bureau, the Institute for Women's Policy Research, the National Women's Law Center, Wider Opportunities for Women, and Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. "explored ways to increase women's participation, retention, and success in the construction industry." The webinar included a discussion of two new reports, the Institute for Women's Policy Research's results from a survey of tradeswomen and the National Women's Law Center's report on challenges and pathways for women to access higher-paying jobs, as well as best practices in recruitment, training, retention, and technical assistance regarding increasing women's representation in the construction workforce.
For more information about this recent webinar, visit www.dol.gov/wb/.
For more information about this recent webinar, visit www.dol.gov/wb/.
Monday, August 11, 2014
Repost: Is construction still a losing game for most women? Are you part of the problem?
A recent article by Julia Evans, Chief Executive at BSRIA, describes the ebb and flow of women workers in the construction field during the past two centuries and questions the long-term efficacy of legislation that simply "throws money" at the job access problem. Through a look at the historical efforts to incorporate women in the building trades workforce, Evans smartly argues:
"Funding new training opportunities is a great step forward, but to see real change we need industry leaders to be proactive in embedding a more diverse and inclusive work culture. The majority of women aged 25-45 find that attitudes, behaviours and perceptions are the greatest barriers (3)." (Evans, 23 July 2014)To read Evans' full argument regarding women workers in Britain's construction workforce, visit http://www.link2portal.com/.
Saturday, August 9, 2014
News Release: Suffolk Construction Launches Fall 2014 Subcontractor Development Series
If you know a Massachusetts MBE or WBE that would benefit from training in construction management and greater access to relationships with major contractors like Suffolk Construction, Suffolk Construction's upcoming Subcontractor Development Series may provide the additional information and resources to help that subcontractor increase their success in the construction field. Applications for the Fall 2014 series are due Friday, August 15 at 5pm.
To get more information, review the eligibility requirements, and complete an application, check out Suffolk Construction's recent news release or visit www.suffolk.com/subcontractor_development_series.html.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Repost: World Trade Center contractor charged in multimillion-dollar fraud
DCM Erectors Inc, a contractor of the World Trade Center project in New York City, has been charged with creating fake documentation to appear in compliance with MBE and WBE requirements for construction. A recent Reuters article written by Joseph Ax states:
"In one instance, [DCM Erectors CEO] Davis arranged for at least $2 million in compensation for Johnny Garcia, the owner of minority-owned Solera Construction, the government said.
Davis claimed a joint venture between Solera and DCM did about $70 million of work when, in fact, DCM did the work itself or hired a non-minority subcontractor, prosecutors said." (Ax, 31 July 2014)
The nearly $1 billion construction job, which includes the US's tallest tower at the site of the September 11th attacks, falls under the New York and New Jersey's Port Authority Regulations regarding the allocation of construction contracts to MBE and WBE companies.
Visit http://www.reuters.com/ to read the full Reuters article.
Visit http://www.reuters.com/ to read the full Reuters article.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Repost: What’s Next for Women in the Trades?
Great article written by Michael Theriault, Secretary-Treasurer of the San Francisco Building & Construction Trades Council, about the need to recruit and support more women in the building trades:
Visit http://www.sfbuildingtradescouncil.org/ to read the full article.
"While the old Building Trades pattern of white male exclusion of minorities, then, has been largely – even if not absolutely – superseded by a new, more complex reality, we still appear to exclude women.
We and the City can take many practical steps yet toward enrolling and supporting women in the Trades. We can target pre-apprenticeship programs primarily at women, as does a recent Iron Workers multi-trades welding program. We can insist that existing pre-apprenticeship programs target specific numbers of female apprenticeship candidates, as the Carpenters have done at John O’Connell High School. I have advocated for years for childcare programs with construction hours, which would benefit many men as well. We can ask successful Tradeswomen to serve as recruiters and mentors" (Theriault, 30 May 2014).
Visit http://www.sfbuildingtradescouncil.org/ to read the full article.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Repost: Local women business owners benefit from state initiative
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo made it a priority last year to connect women and minority-owned businesses with state contracts. He announced in October that the Department of Economic Development had awarded a record 21.06 percent in state contracts to such firms, exceeding its goal of 20 percent.
Mark DiOrio / Observer-Dispatch
Lynne Angelicola of R.O.I. Office Interiors received her Women Business Enterprise Certification in August, giving her the opportunity to bid on office interior contract that are funded by the state. Angelicola looks at a sample board of office materials for the Utica College Harza Building Site, Jan 6, 2014 in Rome, N.Y.
by Philip A. Vanno
Posted Jan. 14, 2014
Over the past 20 years, Lynne Angelicola, president of Roberts Office Interiors, has had to juggle running her Rome-based commercial office furniture dealership and interior design operation while taking care of her home and raising two children.
While she's had plenty of help from her husband, Robert, who runs the company's sales department, perhaps her biggest aid came in August when, after a lengthy application process, her business became certified as a Women Business Enterprise by the New York State Department of Economic Development.
"We were very excited when it was finally approved," Angelicola said. "This provides us with many new opportunities that we wouldn't have had before, and we have already started to see the effects."
Since receiving the distinction, which was instituted by the state to eliminate barriers and discrimination and expand the participation of women-owned businesses in the state contracting process, Roberts Office Interiors has landed a $400,000 contract to outfit a new building at SUNY Binghamton, and has a handful of other projects in the works with other SUNY schools.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo made it a priority last year to connect women and minority-owned businesses with state contracts. He announced in October that the Department of Economic Development had awarded a record 21.06 percent in state contracts to such firms, exceeding its goal of 20 percent.
In all, $1.48 billion in contracts from 97 public agencies and authorities were awarded to women and minority-owned business enterprises in fiscal year 2012-1013.
"The diversity in this state is one of our greatest assets … and we remain committed to leveling the playing field for thousands of small businesses and opening the door to greater economic activity and job growth," Cuomo said in a news release. "The success of thousands of minority- and women-owned firms seeking to compete and advance in the marketplace is critical to igniting economic growth and spurring prosperity in all of our communities statewide."
Another beneficiary of the program is Jennifer Keida, who started JRT Construction Services in Marcy three years ago in an attempt to capitalize off of the experience and contacts she accumulated during her 13 years as chief operations officer for her father's business, Standard Insulating Co.
While she still maintains her role with that company, Keida said she is very eager to expand her horizons with her new venture, especially since receiving her certification as a Women Business Enterprise last month.
"Being a woman in the construction field, I have worked just as hard as anyone, but this gives me an opportunity to showcase my talents that might have otherwise been overlooked," Keida said. "The doors this is going to open should make 2014 a good year."
Follow @OD_Vanno on Twitter or call him at 792-5074.
View the original article at http://www.uticaod.com/article/20140114/NEWS/140109694#ixzz2qU6GN0fe.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Repost: Illinois program recruits more women, minorities for construction work
By Judy Masterson
jmasterson@stmedianetwork.com
January 11, 2014
Wesley Simpson of Waukegan is serious about getting a good job, which is why he recently underwent a rugged 11-week training program for road construction.
“Getting this opportunity means a lot,” said Simpson, 33, who last earned $10 an hour as a forklift driver, a job in Aurora, more than 60 miles from home.
Road construction, though seasonal, pays well and offers good benefits. Simpson could earn between $15 and $20 an hour to start. If he lands an apprenticeship, his hourly wage would climb to $37.
“I need the money,” Simpson said. “I have a 6-year-old son to support.”
Simpson graduated in December from T.C.A.R.T., the Transportation Construction Apprenticeship Readiness Training, Referral and Intermodal Placement Program. It’s a long name for a clear-cut goal: recruiting minorities and women for government-funded road construction.
“The bottom line is right now in the state of Illinois approximately 92 percent of highway construction workers are white males,” said Rev. Arthur Gass, president of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Lake County. “Those numbers have to change if we’re going to be in compliance with state and federal mandates.”
The Black Chamber is one of four community-based organizations − the other three are in Chicago − that are working in partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation to recruit and train people for the program, which consists of three-weeks of classes in construction math and comportment and eight weeks of hands-on-construction training in south suburban Wilmington.
Just 125 T.C.A.R.T. spots are available for residents of Lake and McHenry counties; 532 applications were accepted.
Trainees are 85 percent African American, 12 percent Hispanic and 3 percent white, according to Gass, who said federal contracts require 16.9 percent minority and 6.9 percent female participation.
“The workforce ought to reflect the diversity of the community,” Gass said. “Highway construction jobs are supported by the motor fuel tax, 14 percent of which is paid by African Americans and yet we pick up less than 2 percent of those jobs. That’s pretty lopsided.”
Petite Coleman, 30, of Beach Park, last earned $12.31 an hour as a certified computer tech at a warehouse store in Vernon Hills. Her talent and liking for hands-on work came through during the technical training portion of T.C.A.R.T.
“Pouring and laying concrete was my favorite,” Coleman said. “The instructor had me doing multiple things and, by doing so many things, I was involved in the process from beginning to end.”
In road construction, Coleman said, she can work the same amount of hours but double her income. She wants to join a union. Her goal is to become a welding inspector, a job that requires a thorough knowledge of many trades.
“I’m a hard worker,” Coleman said. “I believe that you go to work to do your job. I don’t mind working long hours. I just want to be compensated.”
The Black Chamber will also work to help trainees find jobs for the springtime road construction season.
“We will reach out to any and all contractors, be they union or non-union, and make them aware that our people have the training, that they have the skill sets required and that they will make exemplary employees,” Gass said.
T.C.A.R.T. in Lake County has a 97 percent success rate so far, Gass said. The program has a zero tolerance policy for tardiness or absence. Trainees also have to figure out transportation to Wilmington, 95 miles south of Waukegan. Some have formed car pools. Some commute to Chicago to catch a bus from the Urban League office there.
“These are people determined to work and acquire the skills they need,” Gass said.
T.C.A.R.T., Gass said, “eliminates the excuse that contractors often use: that they can’t find qualified people.”
“They now have a pool of highly qualified people who have proven themselves,” Gass said.
For more information on the highway construction training program T.C.A.R.T., call the Black Chamber of Commerce of Lake County at (847) 599-9510 or the Chicago Urban League at (773) 285-5800.
Visit http://newssun.suntimes.com/ to view the original article.
Wesley Simpson of Waukegan is serious about getting a good job, which is why he recently underwent a rugged 11-week training program for road construction.
“Getting this opportunity means a lot,” said Simpson, 33, who last earned $10 an hour as a forklift driver, a job in Aurora, more than 60 miles from home.
Road construction, though seasonal, pays well and offers good benefits. Simpson could earn between $15 and $20 an hour to start. If he lands an apprenticeship, his hourly wage would climb to $37.
“I need the money,” Simpson said. “I have a 6-year-old son to support.”
Simpson graduated in December from T.C.A.R.T., the Transportation Construction Apprenticeship Readiness Training, Referral and Intermodal Placement Program. It’s a long name for a clear-cut goal: recruiting minorities and women for government-funded road construction.
“The bottom line is right now in the state of Illinois approximately 92 percent of highway construction workers are white males,” said Rev. Arthur Gass, president of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Lake County. “Those numbers have to change if we’re going to be in compliance with state and federal mandates.”
The Black Chamber is one of four community-based organizations − the other three are in Chicago − that are working in partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation to recruit and train people for the program, which consists of three-weeks of classes in construction math and comportment and eight weeks of hands-on-construction training in south suburban Wilmington.
Just 125 T.C.A.R.T. spots are available for residents of Lake and McHenry counties; 532 applications were accepted.
Trainees are 85 percent African American, 12 percent Hispanic and 3 percent white, according to Gass, who said federal contracts require 16.9 percent minority and 6.9 percent female participation.
“The workforce ought to reflect the diversity of the community,” Gass said. “Highway construction jobs are supported by the motor fuel tax, 14 percent of which is paid by African Americans and yet we pick up less than 2 percent of those jobs. That’s pretty lopsided.”
Petite Coleman, 30, of Beach Park, last earned $12.31 an hour as a certified computer tech at a warehouse store in Vernon Hills. Her talent and liking for hands-on work came through during the technical training portion of T.C.A.R.T.
“Pouring and laying concrete was my favorite,” Coleman said. “The instructor had me doing multiple things and, by doing so many things, I was involved in the process from beginning to end.”
In road construction, Coleman said, she can work the same amount of hours but double her income. She wants to join a union. Her goal is to become a welding inspector, a job that requires a thorough knowledge of many trades.
“I’m a hard worker,” Coleman said. “I believe that you go to work to do your job. I don’t mind working long hours. I just want to be compensated.”
The Black Chamber will also work to help trainees find jobs for the springtime road construction season.
“We will reach out to any and all contractors, be they union or non-union, and make them aware that our people have the training, that they have the skill sets required and that they will make exemplary employees,” Gass said.
T.C.A.R.T. in Lake County has a 97 percent success rate so far, Gass said. The program has a zero tolerance policy for tardiness or absence. Trainees also have to figure out transportation to Wilmington, 95 miles south of Waukegan. Some have formed car pools. Some commute to Chicago to catch a bus from the Urban League office there.
“These are people determined to work and acquire the skills they need,” Gass said.
T.C.A.R.T., Gass said, “eliminates the excuse that contractors often use: that they can’t find qualified people.”
“They now have a pool of highly qualified people who have proven themselves,” Gass said.
For more information on the highway construction training program T.C.A.R.T., call the Black Chamber of Commerce of Lake County at (847) 599-9510 or the Chicago Urban League at (773) 285-5800.
Visit http://newssun.suntimes.com/ to view the original article.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Repost: Ferdinand Building project falls short on hiring Boston residents, women
Boston.com recently published an update on one of PGTI's target projects, the Ferdinand Building in Dudley Square. The project has made great improvements in its hiring goals during the past year, exceeding the BRJP minority requirement, but still has not met the requirements for women and resident workers.
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By Patrick D. Rosso, Town Correspondent
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| The front façade of the Ferdinand Building, which is currently being redeveloped.(Patrick D. Rosso/Boston.com/2013) |
The number of minorities hired for the redevelopment of the Ferdinand Building in Dudley Square is exceeding city goals, but the project is still falling short on hiring Boston residents and women.
The project, dubbed the Dudley Municipal Center, is a $119 million city development being led by Shawmut Construction. Eventually the structure, slated to be completed by December 2014, will house the headquarters of Boston Public Schools and ground-floor retail.
Of the 149,630 hours of work completed on the project 44.3 percent was by Boston residents, 57.6 percent was by minorities, and 7.2 percent was by women, according to figures provided by the city of Boston.
Hiring goals established by the city call on contractors to employ 50 percent Boston residents, 25 percent minorities, and 10 percent women.
Those numbers have stayed consistent over the past year, although the project did get off to a rocky start and was picketed in October 2012.
“We strive to exceed the goals with every contractor and sub-contractor we can,” said Patrick Brophy, assistant director of the city’s Capital Construction Division. “We’re happy with where the numbers are, but we’d still like to see improvements on the number of women and Boston residents.”
At the moment there are an estimated 162 workers on site, and city planners said they don’t expect the numbers to fluctuate much in the near future.
“We are on schedule and on budget and we expect to maintain that; we’re exactly where we want to be,” Brophy said.
For those that frequent the area they will begin to notice some changes at the job site. Crews will soon start removing the staging surrounding the building as they prepare to begin exterior work. The massive tower crane that has loomed over the neighborhood for the past year is also expected to come down by early-December.
To read more about the project and its “topping-off” ceremony held over the summer, click here.
The project, dubbed the Dudley Municipal Center, is a $119 million city development being led by Shawmut Construction. Eventually the structure, slated to be completed by December 2014, will house the headquarters of Boston Public Schools and ground-floor retail.
Of the 149,630 hours of work completed on the project 44.3 percent was by Boston residents, 57.6 percent was by minorities, and 7.2 percent was by women, according to figures provided by the city of Boston.
Hiring goals established by the city call on contractors to employ 50 percent Boston residents, 25 percent minorities, and 10 percent women.
Those numbers have stayed consistent over the past year, although the project did get off to a rocky start and was picketed in October 2012.
“We strive to exceed the goals with every contractor and sub-contractor we can,” said Patrick Brophy, assistant director of the city’s Capital Construction Division. “We’re happy with where the numbers are, but we’d still like to see improvements on the number of women and Boston residents.”
At the moment there are an estimated 162 workers on site, and city planners said they don’t expect the numbers to fluctuate much in the near future.
“We are on schedule and on budget and we expect to maintain that; we’re exactly where we want to be,” Brophy said.
For those that frequent the area they will begin to notice some changes at the job site. Crews will soon start removing the staging surrounding the building as they prepare to begin exterior work. The massive tower crane that has loomed over the neighborhood for the past year is also expected to come down by early-December.
To read more about the project and its “topping-off” ceremony held over the summer, click here.
To read the original article, visit http://www.boston.com/.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Repost: Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne talks youth jobs with St. Mary Catholic Secondary School students
Ontario Premier shares her concerns about the lack of women in the trades.
---------------------------------------------
COBOURG -- Through the power of the Internet, some Cobourg high school students got the rare opportunity to speak with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne.
Speaking to Meaford, Brampton, Ottawa, Cobourg and Toronto students during her first Google Hangout, Ms. Wynne answered questions from students about the Province’s youth jobs strategy, during the online chat on Oct. 17.
The Ontario government’s youth jobs strategy was unveiled on Oct. 16.
“The youth jobs strategy really builds on what’s been done in the past,” the premier said. “We want to help create a seamless path for our young people to find jobs.”
Ms. Wynne said the government relies on Ontario residents providing feedback on how politicians can help.
“We can’t always have conversations face-to-face like we are now,” she said. “But talk to your teachers, your guidance counsellors so they can help get the message out.”
During her online chat, the premier fielded two questions from St. Mary high school--one regarding the low number of women employed in the trades and opportunities for First Nations youth.
“It actually concerns me when I visit shops or tour job sites,” Ms. Wynne said, regarding the women in trades question. “I see a real unequal balance between men and women there. The Ontario government has a women in trades website that is geared towards helping women explore and find work in the trades.”
The premier added she would like to see trades opportunities exposed to young grades in elementary school, “before they enter high school so they have a better understanding of what type of trade they may want to pursue.”
She said the youth jobs strategy is to encourage all young people.
“Ontario has a rich and diverse workforce. We want all young people, no matter their background, to have the same opportunities,” the premier said, citing three current programs the government currently has to help First Nations youth pursue certain careers, such as law and natural resources.
To view the original article, visit http://www.mississauga.com.
For more information on the youth strategy program, visit www.ontario.ca.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Career Opportunity: Boston Resident Jobs Program (BRJP) Monitor position available
Job Title: Sr. Research Analyst (Boston Residents Jobs Program)
Job ID: 346702
Location: ASD-Boston Residents Jobs Policy
Full/Part Time: Full-Time
Regular/Temporary: Regular
BRIEF JOB DESCRIPTION (essential functions of the job):
Under the supervision of the Manager of Boston Residents Jobs Program (BRJP), monitors public and privately funded construction projects to ensure contractor compliance with relevant City of Boston policies and Federal and State regulations.
- Conducts kick-off meetings and pre-construction conferences with developers, general contractors and project managers.
- Conducts on-site monitoring of the participation of minority, women and Boston residents.
- Verifies reported employment data and wage data.
- Conducts quarterly review meetings to review contractors' performance goals, and review cases of non-compliance, and statements of recommended corrective actions.
- Prepares reports and make presentations before the Boston Employment Commission (BEC).
- Performs related work as required.
MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Must have four (4) years of fulltime, or equivalent part-time, experience in research work including project monitoring and statistics. A bachelor's degree may be substitute for two (2) years of the required experience. Must have computer knowledge of Microsoft software; knowledge of City utilized software and hardware preferred. Excellent written and oral communication skills and willingness to travel to sites throughout the City of Boston on public transportation; writing sample; knowledge of the construction trades and related legislation; ability to exercise good judgment and focus on detail as required by the job.
Boston Residency Required
Terms: Union/Salary Plan/Grade: SEIU/RL-18
Hours per week: 35
Please refer to the Salary Information section on the Boston Career Center site for more information on compensation. For each Salary Plan, salaries are listed by Grade and Step.
Visit the City Job Postings webpage for more information.
Friday, September 27, 2013
Repost: The women behind the construction project
Women take a key roll in building a 497,652-square-foot nine-story library built by Turner Construction in San Diego, CA.
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By Marion Moss Hubbard, San Diego Public Library
Thursday, September 26, 2013
The new 497,652-square-foot nine-story Central Library is one of the largest municipal projects in the city’s history. To successfully construct it within three years took an immense amount of coordination, teamwork and leadership.
While the construction field is still primarily led by men -- and there were many men who played prominent and vital roles on this project -- several women in key positions were instrumental in moving the Central Library project to completion.
Carmen Vann, project executive with Turner Construction, provided the oversight of intricate workflows and detailed schedules to keep the project moving as quickly and efficiently as possible. As the person in charge of the construction project, she had to coordinate among the various trade professions onsite, including carpenters, ironworkers, concrete workers, electricians and infrastructure experts. Vann grew up in Washington, D.C., and has always had a fascination with buildings. “I do what I do out of passion for people, and it is way beyond bricks and mortar,” she said.
Kristine Wunder was Turner Construction’s safety manager on this project. She instilled in the entire team the importance of maintaining a clean and safe worksite throughout construction. Her commitment to safety was key to Turner’s impressive safety record on this project of more than 1,000 days without any injuries. A former Army aviation officer and UH60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot, Wunder has a long history of commitment to leadership and passing on her expertise to others. She is a mentor with the ACE Mentor Program, which mentors professionals from leading design and construction firms.
Cynthia Meinhardt is the city of San Diego’s project officer with public works, engineering and capital projects, and helped oversee this $185 million Capital Improvement project. Through her oversight, she assured that the architectural and engineering services -- including technical and operational support, design and construction -- were performed with the highest degree of quality, while remaining on schedule and within budget. Throughout her career, Meinhardt has been committed to making sure that building projects are designed to enhance our overall quality of life and communities.
Deborah Barrow, library director for the San Diego Public Library, worked closely with all of these exceptional women. She also worked with the architects, other Turner Construction professionals, other city departments, outside consulting organizations and partnering organizations to assure that what was built actually met the needs of the community and goals of the library.
A native San Diegan with more than 20 years of experience in public library management, Barrow is no stranger to library building projects. She has managed the design and construction of several new libraries, including the South Chula Vista Library.
All of these extraordinary women came together in their careers at just the right time and place to help make this new library a reality. Through this remarkable accomplishment, they will serve as role models for young women who will be inspired to achieve their own great success.
The new 497,652-square-foot nine-story Central Library is one of the largest municipal projects in the city’s history. To successfully construct it within three years took an immense amount of coordination, teamwork and leadership.
While the construction field is still primarily led by men -- and there were many men who played prominent and vital roles on this project -- several women in key positions were instrumental in moving the Central Library project to completion.
Carmen Vann, project executive with Turner Construction, provided the oversight of intricate workflows and detailed schedules to keep the project moving as quickly and efficiently as possible. As the person in charge of the construction project, she had to coordinate among the various trade professions onsite, including carpenters, ironworkers, concrete workers, electricians and infrastructure experts. Vann grew up in Washington, D.C., and has always had a fascination with buildings. “I do what I do out of passion for people, and it is way beyond bricks and mortar,” she said.
Kristine Wunder was Turner Construction’s safety manager on this project. She instilled in the entire team the importance of maintaining a clean and safe worksite throughout construction. Her commitment to safety was key to Turner’s impressive safety record on this project of more than 1,000 days without any injuries. A former Army aviation officer and UH60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot, Wunder has a long history of commitment to leadership and passing on her expertise to others. She is a mentor with the ACE Mentor Program, which mentors professionals from leading design and construction firms.
Cynthia Meinhardt is the city of San Diego’s project officer with public works, engineering and capital projects, and helped oversee this $185 million Capital Improvement project. Through her oversight, she assured that the architectural and engineering services -- including technical and operational support, design and construction -- were performed with the highest degree of quality, while remaining on schedule and within budget. Throughout her career, Meinhardt has been committed to making sure that building projects are designed to enhance our overall quality of life and communities.
Deborah Barrow, library director for the San Diego Public Library, worked closely with all of these exceptional women. She also worked with the architects, other Turner Construction professionals, other city departments, outside consulting organizations and partnering organizations to assure that what was built actually met the needs of the community and goals of the library.
A native San Diegan with more than 20 years of experience in public library management, Barrow is no stranger to library building projects. She has managed the design and construction of several new libraries, including the South Chula Vista Library.
All of these extraordinary women came together in their careers at just the right time and place to help make this new library a reality. Through this remarkable accomplishment, they will serve as role models for young women who will be inspired to achieve their own great success.
To read the original article, visit http://www.sddt.com/news.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Repost: On the Dudley Square Municipal Office Building Job Site
Check out these great videos on how "construction of the Dudley Square Municipal Office Facility is impacting the lives of a Madison Park High School student and an iron worker at the site."
See the original post by the Boston Redevelopment Authority at http://www.bostonredevelopmentauthoritynews.org.
See the original post by the Boston Redevelopment Authority at http://www.bostonredevelopmentauthoritynews.org.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Save the Date: 9/20/13 USDOL Women's Bureau & The Construction Institute Will Host "Engaging Women for STEM, Non-Traditional, and Green Careers"
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WOMEN’S BUREAU & THE CONSTRUCTION INSTITUTE INVITES YOU TO AN IMPORTANT ROUNDTABLE: ENGAGING WOMEN FOR STEM, NON-TRADITIONAL, AND GREEN CAREERS
The roundtable will bring together leaders in the Metro Boston area to discuss potential pathways for women to become involved in careers related to science, technology, math, and engineering (STEM). This discussion will also draw on ideas for engaging women in green and non-traditional careers. Some of the topic questions to be considered are:- How can women qualify for STEM, Non-Traditional, and Green Careers?
- What opportunities are available for women in “green” jobs and STEM?
- How can we help women transition from traditional occupations to non-traditional ones?
DATE: Tuesday, September 20, 2013
TIME: 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: Sheet Metal Workers Training Center, 1181 Adams St. Dorchester
Attendance is free but registration is required. Space limited to 25.
RSVP: To register, please send an e-mail to Rizzolo.Angela@dol.gov by close of business hours on September 18 and include your name, organization, and telephone number.
For questions, please call: Angela Rizzolo @ 617-565-1988.
Our special thanks to the Sheet Metal Workers Training Center for co-hosting this roundtable.
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Repost: Council addresses how to diversify workforce on city construction projects
An ordinance to increase diversity within the construction workforce is being considered by Seattle's City Council!
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by: Aaron Burkhalter, Staff Reporter
People of color and women make up a small portion of the workforce on city-funded construction projects. This year, people of color made up 25 percent and women represented 6 percent of the workforce on city-funded projects, said Nancy Locke, director of city purchasing and contracting services for the city of Seattle.
The Seattle City Council is exploring how to change that. The nine-member council will vote in September on a resolution directing city staff to research and propose a program that would hire more people from disadvantaged communities for construction work.
The city council’s Economic Resiliency Committee discussed the resolution Aug. 7.
The resolution stems from a request by Got Green, a South Seattle environmental and social justice nonprofit, and the Targeted Local Hire Coalition. The groups want the city’s construction contractors to hire a percentage of the workforce from poor communities, perhaps using the median income of a ZIP code or census tract as a guide.
Other cities require that up to 50 percent of the jobs on city construction projects go to people from those disadvantaged communities.
In Seattle, the Women and Minority-owned Business Enterprise program requires the city to contract out a percentage of work to businesses owned by women and people of color. It encourages the city to hire on-the-ground workers from disadvantaged communities, but does not require it.
It hasn’t helped, Locke told the Economic Resiliency Committee Aug. 7.
It’s difficult to legislate diversity in Washington state because voters passed an anti-affirmative action initiative in 1998 that prohibits state and local governments from hiring based on race or gender. Seattle is required to accept the lowest bid on a project and cannot select the contractor with the most diverse workforce.
Labor unions would support a targeted local hire program, said Jermaine Smiley of Laborers Local 242. Construction workers have a history, he said, of hiring from disadvantaged communities.
“Our union 100 years ago was started on the workers nobody wanted: African Americans, Irish workers,” Smiley said.
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by: Aaron Burkhalter, Staff Reporter
People of color and women make up a small portion of the workforce on city-funded construction projects. This year, people of color made up 25 percent and women represented 6 percent of the workforce on city-funded projects, said Nancy Locke, director of city purchasing and contracting services for the city of Seattle.
The Seattle City Council is exploring how to change that. The nine-member council will vote in September on a resolution directing city staff to research and propose a program that would hire more people from disadvantaged communities for construction work.
The city council’s Economic Resiliency Committee discussed the resolution Aug. 7.
The resolution stems from a request by Got Green, a South Seattle environmental and social justice nonprofit, and the Targeted Local Hire Coalition. The groups want the city’s construction contractors to hire a percentage of the workforce from poor communities, perhaps using the median income of a ZIP code or census tract as a guide.
Other cities require that up to 50 percent of the jobs on city construction projects go to people from those disadvantaged communities.
In Seattle, the Women and Minority-owned Business Enterprise program requires the city to contract out a percentage of work to businesses owned by women and people of color. It encourages the city to hire on-the-ground workers from disadvantaged communities, but does not require it.
It hasn’t helped, Locke told the Economic Resiliency Committee Aug. 7.
It’s difficult to legislate diversity in Washington state because voters passed an anti-affirmative action initiative in 1998 that prohibits state and local governments from hiring based on race or gender. Seattle is required to accept the lowest bid on a project and cannot select the contractor with the most diverse workforce.
Labor unions would support a targeted local hire program, said Jermaine Smiley of Laborers Local 242. Construction workers have a history, he said, of hiring from disadvantaged communities.
“Our union 100 years ago was started on the workers nobody wanted: African Americans, Irish workers,” Smiley said.
View the original article at http://realchangenews.org.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Repost: Women, minorities to play key role in Vikings stadium construction
“It’s not really just about this project. It’s about creating a pipeline of workers of the future that are going to make up the men and women of the Minnesota construction industry to come.” John Wood, Senior VP, Mortenson Construction
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Repost: Bill helps women, minorities get into construction trades
Oregon just passed legislation to use federal highway funds for pre-apprenticeship programs! This is just one option that states have to promote workforce diversity in the construction field.
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By Wendy Culverwell, Real Estate Daily editor
Portland Business Journal
The Oregon Department of Transportation will spend up to $2.1 million in federal funds on programs that help women and minorities prepare for the construction trades under a bill headed to Gov. John Kitzhaber.
Senate Bill 831A, which passed in the Senate on June 29 and the House on July 2, directs the state transportation agency to spend federal funds on pre-apprenticeship training programs to increase diversity in the state’s construction workforce.
Under the current law, ODOT is authorized to use federal highway funds to involve more women and minorities in workforce training programs.
The bill provides a 40 percent increase in funding for programs that serve women and minority groups.
“These additional funds will allow us to expand our programs to women in under-served parts of the state,” said Connie Ashbrook, executive director of Oregon Tradeswomen Inc.
The bill passed in the Senate with a 28-1 vote and in the House with a 54-1 vote.
The Oregon Department of Transportation will spend up to $2.1 million in federal funds on programs that help women and minorities prepare for the construction trades under a bill headed to Gov. John Kitzhaber.
Senate Bill 831A, which passed in the Senate on June 29 and the House on July 2, directs the state transportation agency to spend federal funds on pre-apprenticeship training programs to increase diversity in the state’s construction workforce.
Under the current law, ODOT is authorized to use federal highway funds to involve more women and minorities in workforce training programs.
The bill provides a 40 percent increase in funding for programs that serve women and minority groups.
“These additional funds will allow us to expand our programs to women in under-served parts of the state,” said Connie Ashbrook, executive director of Oregon Tradeswomen Inc.
The bill passed in the Senate with a 28-1 vote and in the House with a 54-1 vote.
View the original article at http://www.bizjournals.com/portland.
Friday, June 28, 2013
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