Women and Minority-Owned Construction Firms Prosper From Mentor Training Programs
Scot Bennett, Construction Executive
The AEC industry, particularly construction, is suffering from a severe shortage of available staff. As companies struggle to fill salaried and skilled labor positions at all levels in the industry, those leaving the construction workforce are not being replaced at near the same rate.
However, a segment of smaller businesses, predominantly woman- or minority-owned and led, does exist. If fostered and mentored, these businesses could go a long way to filling the resource gap. Through local partnerships, AEC companies are changing the narrative and increasing capacity by mentoring companies with the work ethic and desire to grow.
This type of collaboration is urgent and necessary to ensure that small W/MBE firms receive the training, experience and resources to collaborate with larger firms.