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It's not often that young women in high school and college are told to grab a hard hat and consider starting a career in construction, but there are a variety of reasons why that is about to change.

While the industry has seen a rise in women in construction in recent years, as of 2018, they only accounted for 9% of the workforce. In comparison, women make up about 44.7% of the wholesale/retail trade industry and a staggering 74.4% of the education and health services industry.

For women in construction, the opportunity to make a good living with a competitive salary is a major reason to consider a career in the industry. On average, women in the United States make 81.1% of what their male counterparts make, but in construction, that number jumps to 95.7%. With the industry expected to grow by 6% in the next two years, more than 320,000 jobs will be generated making it an opportune time for women to consider construction as a career.

In addition to the financial benefits, working in construction provides many other perks other industries may not experience.

"Choosing a fast-paced, active career provides fulfillment many times over with the completion of our projects," said Amoroso Project Manager, Jennifer Erskine. "This is a career where you can have the feeling of change every few years while still working in the same industry and for the same company."

Both Christina Regnier, a senior estimator in Amoroso's Southern California office, and Ivy Wong, a project manager in Northern California, noted that being in the field rather than behind a desk was what initially drew them to the industry.

"It always gives me a sense of pride to visit a project after it's completed," said Regnier. "When I see the finished product, the numerous hours and challenges that went into completing the project fade away."

On Amoroso's jobsites in California, between the contractor, architect, owner and engineers, there are more women in the industry than ever before.

"There are more women in all aspects of construction compared to when I started my career," said Erskine. "On some projects, there are more women in our owner's meetings than men."

As more women are exposed to the benefits of the construction industry and the career it can lead to, the industry estimates that by 2020, women will make up 25% of the industry.

Women in Construction Week is celebrated from March 3-9 to raise awareness of the opportunities available for women in the construction industry and to emphasize the growing role of women in the industry.