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Influences on Women’s Choices of Careers in Construction: A South African Study

Construction Economics and Building

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Field Value
 
Title Influences on Women’s Choices of Careers in Construction: A South African Study
 
Creator Madikizela, Kolosa
Haupt, Theo
 
Subject Cultural studies; Construction; Education
Sex discrimination, Education; Gender; Built environment; Career choices; Culture; Cultural background
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Description  This paper analyses the factors influencing the choices of careers in construction by South African women. The literature on challenges which influence women‟s choices of careers in construction was reviewed and questionnaires were conducted with multiple samples, including construction organisations, construction students and professional women working in construction. The study found that women have a role to play in the construction industry and that they can build successful careers within the sector. However, it was not easy given the various barriers to entry such as gender-based discrimination against them, the harsh work environment of the construction site, the lack of sufficient knowledge about the industry itself and the shortage of successful women in construction as role models. There was evidence of discrimination and sexual harassment. All these factors impacted negatively on the choices of careers in construction by South African women. This study makes a contribution to our understanding of the factors that have marginalised women in a male dominated industry and provides some indication of approaches to attract more women into the sector. It is hoped that it will stimulate debate about how the low representation of women in construction can be addressed and how construction careers for women can be promoted and encouraged and that the resource pool will be enlarged given the prevalent acute skills shortage in the industry.  
 
Publisher UTS ePRESS
 
Contributor —
 
Date 2010-06-29
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
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Survey/interview
 
Format application/pdf
 
Identifier http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/AJCEB/article/view/1582
10.5130/AJCEB.v10i1-2.1582
 
Source Construction Economics and Building; Vol 10, No 1-2 (2010): AJCEB; 1 - 15
2204-9029
 
Language eng
 
Relation http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/AJCEB/article/view/1582/1733
 
Coverage South Africa
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Rights Copyright (c) 2010 Kolosa Madikizela, Theo Haupt
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0