In honor of Women’s History Month, CBS News Sacramento is highlighting how women are breaking barriers and opening doors for others.<\/p>\n
This first week of March is dedicated to women in construction. One Sacramento woman is leading by example as a construction manager.<\/p>\n
It’s a busy afternoon at the Taylor Morrison Willdhawk community worksite in Sacramento. Before the nail-guns and hammers go to work, Stephanie Martinez ensures safety comes first.<\/p>\n
“With this particular construction site, this is one of the areas where I’ll come out monthly and conduct safety audits,” said Martinez, a construction administrator and safety manager.<\/p>\n
Martinez has been in the business for quite some time, as she’ll reach her 30-year mark this year.<\/p>\n
Through the years, Martinez said that female construction workers have become more common.<\/p>\n
“I don’t think it’s surprising to anyone, and I think that these guys see more women as it is anyway,” she said. “There’s a lot of women that work in our trades.”<\/p>\n
And the numbers prove it.<\/p>\n
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women now make up 11% of the total construction industry workforce. That’s 1% higher than last year.<\/p>\n
However, national homebuilder Taylor Morrison Wildhawk prides itself on a 44% female workforce.<\/p>\n
Back at the worksite, safety is top of mind. Inside a home that is still under construction, Martinez caught a subtle flaw.<\/p>\n
“We are finding that we do have a bolt missing from our boot on our guardrail, so that’s getting handled right now,” she said.<\/p>\n
Martinez said that a productive worksite starts with a safe environment.<\/p>\n
“Housekeeping is a pretty big deal because it can lead to something bad happening to someone, getting hurt, if tools are lying around,” she said.<\/p>\n
Martinez hopes that by speaking publicly about her career path in construction, other women interested in the field can take that first step.<\/p>\n
“Set your goals,” she said. “You can achieve anything you want. This isn’t just gender-based at all.”<\/p>\n
She’s leading by example, while keeping worksites safe from hazards.<\/p>\n
When it comes to earnings, the median annual wage for a full-time female construction worker is $57,000. That’s higher than the median annual wage for women across all industries at $55,000.<\/p>\n
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