Listening to Leaders—How AEC Women Grow Their Career Pathways

Through semi-structured interviews with 20 women leaders, vice president (VP) and above, from top architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms, researchers explored career path progression. This study sought to investigate root causes for women's AEC underrepresentation by gleaning insights from the experiences, successes, and challenges during their climb up the corporate ladder. Understanding the richness of individual journeys, researchers selected narrative inquiry to explore underlying themes and generate a career road map for early and mid-career women. NVIVO software facilitated qualitative analysis of the resultant compiled corpus of information, identifying common topics and industry best practices to promote diversity. Sharing successful initiatives with firms throughout the industry expands the long-term focus from initial recruiting through long-term career nurturing for women. Study participants noted assembling a supportive personal network and identifying early career mentors as key success factors. Firms wishing to differentiate themselves and gain the proven benefits of diversity, highlighted by better business outcomes and greater innovation, should invest in diversity programs. Successful initiatives include creating a culture that nurtures women throughout their careers and tailoring more inclusive recruiting programs.