College - Author 1
College of Architecture and Environmental Design
Department - Author 1
Construction Management Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Construction Management
Date
3-2025
Primary Advisor/Subject Matter Expert (SME)
Liz Adams, College of Architecture and Environmental Design, Construction Management Department
Abstract/Summary
Despite increased enrollment of women in construction education programs, the industry is not seeing significant gains in the percentages of women, especially in field and project management roles. This study looks specifically at the experiences of women in the Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) sector working in field and project management. Women in different career stages were interviewed to gain perspective on the state and climate of the industry from a woman’s perspective. The interviews were analyzed for recurring themes and three primary themes that emerged were: 1) women see themselves as able to bring about better team synthesis than their male counterparts, 2) there is a lack of female role models and support systems for women within the industry, and 3) women feel a need to become a construction superwoman in order to achieve success. The implications of these phenomena are that women are faced with unnecessary gender-based challenges that hinder their success, and this is not in the best interest of the industry. The results of this study confirm that previously recognized challenges for women in construction are current challenges for women in MEP field and project management roles.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cmsp/840
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