Strength in Numbers – Supporting Women in Construction
According to the heavy engineering construction honorary organization The Beavers, Inc., women make up only 10 percent of the workforce in heavy construction.
Rather than being deterred by that statistic, Molly Jacobson, Dutra’s Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer who has been with Dutra since 2011, seized the opportunity to mine the untapped potential. “Women represent 50% of the total workforce, but that’s not reflected in the heavy construction industry so there’s much room for change and growth.”
Attracting more women to the industry, as well as celebrating the ones who already work in heavy construction, is a mission of Jacobson and Patty Dutra Bruce, Dutra’s Vice President of Human Resources.
Dutra’s robust internship program – which serves as a key pipeline for new company hires – actively seeks out young women each year. Over the last several years, the number of female students in the program has grown and now consists of 25% of all interns.
For the last two years, Dutra has recognized its female employees during the annual Women in Construction Week in March with dedicated profiles on Dutra’s social media platforms. “Whether you work in the accounting department, as an estimator, project manager, or as an executive at The Dutra Group, we all work in construction,” said Dutra Bruce.
But perhaps the most engaging sign of recognition happened this past summer, when Jacobson and Dutra Bruce teamed up to lead the effort to invite all of Dutra’s female employees to participate in The Beavers’ Women in Heavy Civil reception on August 14, 2024 at the Silverado Resort in Napa. “Patty and I have been fortunate enough to be in this industry for a fairly long time, and to have had the opportunity to learn from people with a lot of wisdom and experience.” Said Jacobson. “We wanted to ensure that our group of women have a similar opportunity for professional development and engagement with people in the industry.
After securing the blessing of Dutra’s executive team to invite 100% of Dutra’s female employees to attend the Women in Heavy Civil event, the pair set out to make it an even more memorable experience by creating a custom logo for the event featuring a California Poppy (representing the fact that Dutra is California-based). The custom logo was embossed on pins for each attendee to wear. Each woman also received a leather portfolio embossed with the Dutra logo, along with a personal card of appreciation from Jacobson and Dutra Bruce.
The event turned out to be an incredible experience for the 22 women able to attend, giving Dutra the largest company representation at the event. Not only did the attendees connect with other women working in construction and swap stories about their triumphs and struggles, the event was also a powerful reminder of the invaluable contributions that women make to the entire industry, Bill Dutra, Executive Chairman, and Kevin Mohr, Chief Financial Officer, also attended to show their support.
“It was a fantastic learning experience for all of us, but what really surprised and delighted everyone was how much of a celebration it turned out to be,” said Jacobson.
Dutra Purchasing Agent Loura Grayson, who has been with the company since 2014, said of the event, “the most empowering lesson I took away was the story of Dina Kimble’s journey. Her story inspired me to assert my qualifications and capabilities and take charge of my future. It’s a testament to the growing leadership of women in all industry sectors.
Marina Smith, an estimating administrator at Dutra with nine years of construction industry experience, offered this piece of advice to women who might be considering a career in heavy construction: “Even though it can be intimidating when entering this industry, don’t let that dissuade you from considering a job,” she said. “In my experience, you earn respect if you come into a position prepared to be a part of the conversation and contribute to the team. Also I’ve found that women who choose to work in our field usually make the equivalent or more than their fellow male counterparts.
Dutra Bruce said, “It is an honor and a privilege to work alongside such talented and inspiring women. Their dedication and leadership continue to drive our success at Dutra and make waves across the heavy civil engineering field. Recognizing and celebrating women in STEM is crucial, as their impact and value are immeasurable.
