Women make up less than 8% of the workforce in construction, and they leave the industry on average after less than four years.

Twelve women were working in the construction sector in India. The report “Pink Collar Skilling: Unleashing Women’s Power in the Real Estate Sector,” published in January 2023, focused on this topic. The World Trade Center and Primus Partners produced the report, which quoted Colliers’ projections showing that, of the 57 million people employed in the construction sector in 2021, only 7 million were women. 

Construction companies estimate that this percentage is less than 8% in the wake of the lockdowns imposed by COVID-19, although official statistics are not yet available. The fact that women are paid 40% less on average than men in the same industry exacerbates the situation. 

While the number of women entering the construction industry at the executive level has significantly increased over the past ten years, keeping them there has proven to be challenging. Many women use their newly acquired skills to transition from construction to more manageable industries like consulting, finance, or even marketing following two or three years in the field. It is because the multi-level skills needed in construction are transferable to many other industries. Pay is higher, and jobs in these industries are less demanding. Seldom does this workforce return to the construction industry. If they do, it is never at the operational levels and always at the top of the management hierarchy. Women make up only 1-2 percent of construction workers at the senior executive level. 

Women cannot survive on construction sites due to the harsh working conditions and frequent isolation from urban centers. These areas have few well-established childcare and creche facilities, especially after childbirth. Transferring to industries in urban centers with more facilities catering to women is simpler. The allure of the city lights frequently makes up for migrant workers’ pitiful pay. Even these attractions wear off on distant construction sites, making it challenging to draw in women. COVID-19 made frontline workforces vulnerable, which caused a further decline. Many people struggle to make a living in remote locations with different dietary and linguistic customs. Even after-work entertainment options are scarce in these situations.

Filling local jobs for women with ITI training in rural areas will help close the skills gap in the workforce. The Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC) is collaborating with startups like Salam Kisan to provide drone operating skills training to rural women. As a result of the training, the team will be able to conduct various projects, including site surveys, surveillance, and project monitoring. 

A few contracting companies have also started installing coaches on construction sites. Rehiring women into the workforce requires significant benefits. They have to appear as fair, secure, and welcoming to women. It is necessary to provide safe housing and child-rearing facilities such as schools or hospitals and to establish compensation for the distance from in-demand city centers. Workers who leave the workforce to raise a family or for other reasons must be able to renter the workforce without hindrance; in some instances, they may even be allowed to retrain and pursue vocational certification.  

Lastly, it concerns how employers view the scarcity of workers, education, and upskilling. Establishing pay parity is equally crucial. If India’s severe labor shortage in the real estate and infrastructure construction sectors is to be dealt with fairly, workplaces and compensation packages must become child-women-friendly.