ConExpo events to celebrate women in construction

ConExpo-Con/Agg revealed this statue of a female construction worker in 2020. The statue is mounted on a 10-ft. base and stands an additional 19 ft. (Photo: P&Q Staff)

ConExpo-Con/Agg unveiled the world’s largest 3D-printed statute of a woman working in construction in 2020. This year, ConExpo-Con/Agg plans to further celebrate the growing role women play in construction with leading women speaking during points of the trade show.

“As North America’s largest construction show, we recognize the important and growing role women play in our industry, and ConExpo-Con/Agg has invited a number of influential women to share their experiences working in construction,” says Dana Wuesthoff show director of ConExpo-Con/Agg. “There’s a big need for more people to enter the construction trades and industry. These are jobs that pay solid, living wages without the need to take on large amounts of debt to enter, and we want to encourage more women to explore these opportunities.”

Alexandra Smith, for example – who is known as “Al the Little Operator” – will host a meetup titled “Collaborating with Women in Construction” in the new ConExpo-Con/Agg Community Zone. Smith’s event will take place Tuesday, March 14 at 2:30 p.m.

Additionally, Missy Guerrero Scherber will be joined in the Community Zone by Kayti Bjorklund-Strandlund and Ry Bostrom for a discussion called “Changing Culture with Professional Development: How a School Teacher Duo is Changing the Industry as We Know It.” The discussion will take place Thursday, March 16 from 1-2 p.m.

A similarly themed ConExpo-Con/Agg education session will take place Friday, March 17 in the Las Vegas Convention Center’s West Hall. The session, titled “Women in the Workforce: Recruit, Retain and Promote,” will cover management efforts to recruit, retain and promote women in the industry. According to the show, a panel of industry leaders will address the importance of attracting qualified women and addressing the needs of women to keep them in the industry while developing a culture of inclusivity.

Another education session titled “Bold Leadership for Women” will take place Wednesday, March 15 from 10:45-11:45 a.m. in West Hall. As ConExpo-Con/Agg describes, the panel discussion will be comprised of female business leaders from across the industry who will share real-life experiences and advice not only to make it in a male-dominated industry, but how to discover their own voice and power.