Officials announce $1.3 Million Federal Grant to Boost Women's Representation in Construction Industry

Illinois Department of Labor has received a $1.3 million federal grant aimed at increasing female participation in the construction industry. Currently, women constitute only about 4% of the national construction workforce, highlighting the need for concerted efforts to address this gender disparity.

Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su, in conjunction with Governor J.B. Pritzker, will unveil the Tradeswomen Building Infrastructure grant during a press conference near the Kennedy Expressway on the Northwest Side. This location is undergoing a significant construction project that began earlier this year.

The grant, funded through President Joe Biden's $1.2 trillion infrastructure package, which was signed into law almost two years ago, seeks to advance gender equity and inclusion in the traditionally male-dominated field of construction.

The funds will be allocated to the Illinois Department of Labor and the nonprofit organization Chicago Women in Trades. These entities will subsequently distribute grants to select workforce development groups that are actively devising plans to promote equity within the industry.

Source: Chicago Sun Times