Changing the Stereotypes, Women in Construction

Women in Construction Week: March 3-9

NAWIC Members with Governor ReynoldsEarlier this month, our industry celebrated Women in Construction (WIC) Week, showcasing the variety of careers many women now have in what was once a typically male-dominated field.

Held from Sunday, March 3 through Saturday, March 9, WIC Week is sponsored by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and provides awareness of the growing impact women have on the industry, as well as the opportunities available to them in the field or in the office. DSC’s Tania Bowman, a member of the Greater Des Moines NAWIC, was present for Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signing a proclamation acknowledging Women in Construction Week (pictured right).

The theme for this year’s WIC Week was “Be the Power in your Success.” At Dean Snyder Construction, women hold roles in executive leadership, project coordination, accounting, finance, administration, architecture/design, and business development. Throughout the week, we highlighted our female employees on social media and asked what advice they would give women looking to get into the construction field.

Chelsy Snyder Anderson, business development, advised: “Just be yourself and don’t feel like you need to blend in or conform to construction industry stereotypes. Wear your steel toed boots (or high heels) with lipstick if it makes you feel good. Confidence will be your ally in a male dominated industry.”

“If you truly enjoy your profession, you will succeed no matter what. Just remember, knowledge is power.” – Rachel Hosefelder, senior designer with our subsidiary ATURA architecture said.

DSC also participated in sponsoring “Girls in Construction Career Discovery Day,” a NAWIC event held that week at the DMACC Ankeny Campus for high school girls. This event was created to bring awareness in careers in the Building Trades, Architectural Technologies, HVAC, and Civil Engineering Technologies Programs (pictured left).

For more quotes and highlights from our DSC women, check out our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/deansnyderconst/.