Every March, the AEC industry celebrates Women in Construction (WIC) Week, coinciding with Women’s History Month. At Mortenson, this is a time to focus on the growing role of women in our industry, recognizing their many contributions and inspiring the next generation of women leaders.
Honing in on NAWIC’s WIC Week 2021 theme, “Connect, Collaborate, Construct,” our Phoenix team used this time to showcase hard-working female leaders, support women in our community who need it most, and discuss topics to drive action and influence those around us.
Did you know? Our Phoenix team is comprised of over 38% females in our workforce – a statistic up 5% compared to a year ago today. We are focused on pushing new limits and creating opportunities for women across our company.
Hope Women’s Center Drive
Throughout the week, our Phoenix team held a donation drive to gather critical items for Hope Women’s Center, a local non-profit that equips at-risk women of all ages to elevate themselves from poverty with the mission to “guide women from trauma to transformation.” With more than 15 donation boxes gathered from across our project teams, trade partners, and office, we are proud to have donated nearly 1,000 items for women across the state.
Phoenix Women Leaders “Pass the Hard Hat”
With the nature of our industry, sometimes we are “behind the scenes.” There are hundreds of women and men, hard at work bringing buildings to life, every day, that revolutionize communities for years to come. Get to know some of the women leaders among our Phoenix team, through this video, as they reflect on how they go to where they are today, share their favorite parts of their job and discuss what makes them feel empowered.
WIC Panel – Their Career Journey
Our Phoenix team also hosted a lunch and Zoom panel discussion for all of our women team members, allowing time for connection and collaboration. The panel of women leaders from our Phoenix and Denver teams shared advice and reflection on their careers in construction, discussed how they overcame obstacles, and took advantage of opportunities.
Beauty and the Boss Zoom Keynote
We wrapped up the week with a keynote presentation from Maisha Hagan, owner and head coach of Beauty and the Boss. Maisha guided our entire team through a lesson on “Utilizing the Five Bases of Power to Influence Effective Action.” Maisha challenged our team to think through the ways we influence others and how we see different forms of influence manifesting around us.
For our Phoenix team, WIC Week serves as a time for us to reflect on how far we’ve come while deeply examining our business and how we can grow to create a more welcoming, inclusive, and diversity-rich organization. As we look to the rest of 2021, we are eager to cultivate more opportunities for women leaders to rise to new heights.