By now, you probably know that it鈥檚 day three of Women in Construction (WIC) week. But did you know that this is the 61st annual WIC week? It鈥檚 true. The inaugural WIC week dates back to 1960 in Amarillo, Texas, which was a mere seven years after the Women in Construction organization was founded in Fort Worth. In 1953, 16 women got together to start the organization, seeking a support network. Today, the includes 120 chapters and more than 4,000 members. While the supportive element remains strong, the organization has shifted its focus to include raising awareness for the inclusion and influence of women in the industry.
Even though women represent only about 9% of the construction industry鈥檚 workforce, women have come a long way in the past 68 years. At the time the NAWIC was founded, opportunities for women were limited. The 16 inaugural members were primarily secretaries and office personnel, which are valuable roles in any business, but were pretty much the only roles available to women at the time. These days, however, women can be seen across the industry, from engineering and equipment operation to sales and leadership roles.
In honor of this important week, we wanted to hear first-hand what it鈥檚 like to be a WIC. We sat down with one of our favorite women, Kim Myers, an owner of , a $27 million parts and equipment company with locations throughout the Southeast. Kim oversees the company鈥檚 operations, accounting, HR, and parts sales and branches. It鈥檚 a role she loves, but one that she never expected to find herself in. As we talked to Kim about her career, it became clear that while her path wasn鈥檛 traditional, it might seem somewhat normal to other women in the industry.
The Casual Career Path
Many women in construction don鈥檛 start out with the industry in mind. Certainly, Kim Myers didn鈥檛 set out to run a construction equipment business. Her exposure to the industry, however, was unavoidable, extensive and overwhelmingly positive. Ironpeddlers was founded by her father and two other men in 1974 when Kim was a kid. In her teens, she worked part-time for the company. When the time came to think about her future, she chose to study Psychology at UNC with plans to attend law school. After graduation, she came home for a break. She began filling in at Ironpeddlers again, delivering and picking up parts.
Quickly, a pattern emerged. Whenever someone left, Kim would jump in, learn their role and fill it. Even though her father was the managing owner of the company, Kim recalls that she never really got promoted. She simply saw opportunities and took them. One thing led to another and, 31 years later, she鈥檚 still there. Looking back, she has zero regrets. 鈥淭here was always a need, always an opportunity to learn something new and to grow.鈥�
Attitude and Aptitude
Construction is a male-dominated industry and although it鈥檚 evolving, the male influence is still significant. For Kim, this is simply a fact. She鈥檚 neither offended nor hindered by being in the minority. Like so many individuals who find themselves in the minority, Kim has learned to adapt to her environment, finding it easier to change the environment through influence rather than by resistance.
She鈥檚 careful to be direct, responsive, assertive and fair in her role, balancing strength with compassion. Likewise, she points out that there鈥檚 no shortcut or substitute for knowing your 鈥渟tuff,鈥� so she鈥檚 been patient with her expectations for respect. 鈥淟istening and learning are part of the job, no matter what role you鈥檙e in,鈥� says Kim. But it also helps to know when to step back from a conversation, and when thick skin comes in handy. 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 what I鈥檇 call a progressive, politically correct industry, so it鈥檚 not a place I鈥檇 recommend for anyone who鈥檚 easily offended.鈥�
Sticking Together
When asked about her fellow women in construction, Kim beams and lists over a dozen names quickly and fondly. The nice thing about being in the minority is the support and fellowship. 鈥淲omen identify with each other,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey really connect and look out for one another.鈥� Because of this, industry events are a big draw for women. While work travel can be tricky as a woman, it鈥檚 also a chance to meet other women, and those connections are almost always positive. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know another industry like that.鈥�
So Much Opportunity
When asked what the future looks like for WIC, Kim quickly pivots to education, citing a need for educational institutions to do more to encourage careers in construction. 鈥淲e make the country grow. We need more investment in building careers.鈥� In particular, she cites the technicians in the equipment industry as a pivotal role, one without enough qualified candidates. 鈥淭his is an easy gap for women to fill. Salaries are rising and continuing to go up.鈥� Kim points out that it鈥檚 a perfect career for anyone who wants to avoid college debt, as many technical schools offer work exchanges.
In an industry that has long been homogenous, the presence of women is simply the first step towards a more inclusive field. This is only good news for the industry notes Kim. 鈥淲omen are more flexible and open to change, and our industry needs those qualities to evolve.鈥� She adds that she鈥檚 always looking for young women to mentor and experienced colleagues to connect with. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all learning together. If you鈥檝e got the right personality, it鈥檚 a great time to be a woman in construction.鈥�
So Much to Celebrate
To all the Women in Construction, 黑料社 would like to extend our thanks for your commitment and your positive influence. To celebrate you and to honor the role you play in our industry, 黑料社 is giving away 40 customized Tervis Tumblers. Want to win one? Click on the link below to register. While you鈥檙e at it, if you鈥檙e a woman in construction, and you work with SANY equipment, tag us on social media @sanyamerica and the hashtag #WIC all year-long.