Women
Breaking
Ground
Building the Next Generation
in Construction
A partnership of purpose
The Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO, in partnership with Metro, has created a joint awareness campaign to build the construction industry’s future workforce capacity with a special focus on women.
Helping women build a better future
Our goal is to encourage more women throughout the LA County Region to learn a construction trade and help build Los Angeles into the next decade. As the need to train new craftworkers grows due to industry expansion, scheduled retirements, and the local hiring goals of negotiated Project Labor Agreements with Metro, we strive to increase female participation in the construction trades unions and encourage contractors to hire/sponsor women in the trades.
Metro’s Project Labor Agreement and Construction Careers Policy creates employment opportunities in the construction industry for marginalized and vulnerable community members with historical barriers to employment. In addition, through Executive Order 11246, Metro strives to diversify the workforce and serve as a catalyst for improving the socioeconomic status of minorities and women. While the national average for women in construction is below 3%, Metro’s goal is to exceed the Executive Order 11246 female utilization goal of 6.9%.
The Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO, represents 48 affiliated local unions and district councils in 14 construction trades with more than 100,000 skilled men and women.
A partnership of purpose
The Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO, in partnership with Metro, has created a joint awareness campaign to build the construction industry’s future workforce capacity with a special focus on women.
Helping women build a better future
Our goal is to encourage more women throughout the LA County Region to learn a construction trade and help build Los Angeles into the next decade. As the need to train new craftworkers grows due to industry expansion, scheduled retirements, and the local hiring goals of negotiated Project Labor Agreements with Metro, we strive to increase female participation in the construction trades unions and encourage contractors to hire/sponsor women in the trades.
Metro’s Project Labor Agreement and Construction Careers Policy creates employment opportunities in the construction industry for marginalized and vulnerable community members with historical barriers to employment. In addition, through Executive Order 11246, Metro strives to diversify the workforce and serve as a catalyst for improving the socioeconomic status of minorities and women. While the national average for women in construction is below 3%, Metro’s goal is to exceed the Executive Order 11246 female utilization goal of 6.9%.
The Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO, represents 48 affiliated local unions and district councils in 14 construction trades with more than 100,000 skilled men and women.
![](https://womenbreakground.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/JCG.jpg)
“Women Build Metro Los Angeles was designed to increase the number of women in the transportation and construction industries and create better opportunities for women to improve their job prospects and their quality of life.”
Stephanie Wiggins
CEO, Metro
![](https://womenbreakground.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/chris-hannan.jpg)
“I’m a lifelong member of the Building Trades. It’s a fantastic career with great wages and benefits. As leader of our Council, representing 48 local unions and district councils, I’m encouraging you to look into a career represented by one of the Building Trades Unions. Join us in building METRO’s world-class transportation system and LA County’s future.”
Chris Hannan
President, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California
![](https://womenbreakground.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Ernesto-Medrano-c29v2-cropped.jpg)
“The Building Trades welcome women to join our unions and enjoy the same benefits, pay and protection that all members receive. A union contract doesn’t discriminate—it treats workers equally. Partnering with Metro, we will bring LA County into a new infrastructure era with skilled and trained workers from our communities.”
Ernesto Medrano
Executive Secretary, Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council