When I first stepped onto a jobsite as an ironworker, I was focused on one thing: doing the work right. Tie it tight. Bolt it plumb. Get it done safely. Earn respect.

Culture wasn’t something we talked about back then. You showed up, proved yourself, and kept going. But over the years, I’ve come to understand something powerful: the structures we build are only half the job. The other half is the culture we build around the people doing the work.

That’s what I mean when I talk about CRAFTing Culture.

In our industry, “craft” has a specific meaning. It’s skill. It’s pride. It’s the knowledge passed from one generation to the next. As ironworkers, plumbers, electricians, laborers, operators-we are craftspeople. We shape skylines and infrastructure with our hands and our grit.

But culture? Culture is also crafted. It doesn’t just happen. It’s built… intentionally or unintentionally…by what we tolerate, what we celebrate, and what we protect.

When I started, women were few and far between in the ironworking trade.

There were no separate facilities, no PPE designed for women’s bodies, no conversations about inclusion. There was an unspoken expectation: adapt or leave.

I adapted. Most of us did. We worked harder, spoke less, and tried not to be the “problem.” We were grateful for the opportunity and determined not to lose it.

But survival is not the same as belonging.

Over time, I saw talented women leave the trades. Not because they couldn’t do the work, but because the culture wore them down. Isolation. Harassment. Lack of mentorship. No clear path to leadership. That’s not a pipeline problem. That’s a culture problem.

To me, CRAFTing Culture is about bringing the same intentionality to people that we bring to steel and concrete.

Commitment from leadership that safety includes psychological safety. That respect is non-negotiable. That diversity is not a box to check but a strategy for excellence.

Every foreman, superintendent, apprentice, and executive owns the culture. It’s not HR’s job alone. It’s not a women’s committee’s job. It’s ours.

We cannot say we want more women in construction while excusing behavior that pushes them out. Policies must have teeth. Standards must be enforced.

The next generation is watching us. Young women entering apprenticeship programs today expect equity, opportunity, and leadership pathways. If we want them to stay, we must build an environment worth staying for.

Craft skills are taught. Culture skills must be taught too. Mentorship— formal and informal—changes careers. I didn’t get where I am alone. None of us did.

As an ironworker, I learned early that trust is everything. When you’re 40 stories up, tied off and depending on the person next to you, you need confidence in their skill and their character.

That same principle applies to organizational culture. Trust is built when leadership listens. When women’s voices are not just invited to the table but valued at it. When advancement is based on ability, not assumptions.

Through my leadership roles, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside tradeswomen across North America. I’ve seen what happens when women are supported, mentored, and given real authority: productivity rises. Retention improves. Safety improves. Innovation increases.

This is not about charity.

It’s about strength.

We are the builders. Of bridges. Of buildings. Of opportunity. Construction is facing a workforce shortage. We cannot afford to overlook half the population. But recruitment without retention is wasted effort. If women walk onto a jobsite and immediately feel like outsiders, we’ve already failed.

Organizations like NAWIC play a critical role in CRAFTing Culture. You provide something many women in construction don’t find on the jobsite: community.

Community is not a “soft” benefit. It is infrastructure. It’s the scaffolding that holds people steady while they climb.

Through networking, leadership development, scholarships, and advocacy, NAWIC helps women see a future in this industry—not just a job, but a career. Not just participation, but influence.

When women connect across crafts and sectors, field and management, we strengthen the entire industry. This happened in August 2025 when I had the honor of being the first tradeswoman to pin the new incoming president of NAWIC (Rita Brown). This intentional act of extending the olive branch of solidarity to tradeswomen will strengthen not only NAWIC, but the entire industry.

Culture shifts don’t happen overnight. Steel goes up beam by beam. Culture changes conversation by conversation, decision by decision.

It starts when a superintendent insists on properly fitting PPE for everyone.

When a foreman shuts down inappropriate comments immediately.

When a company promotes a qualified woman to leadership and supports her success.

When a seasoned tradeswoman reaches back and mentors an apprentice.

It starts when we stop asking, “Can women handle this work?” and start asking, “How do we remove the barriers that have nothing to do with ability?”

As ironworkers, we know that the integrity of a structure depends on every connection being sound. The same is true of culture. Every interaction matters. Every policy matters. Every leader matters.

One day, I want a young woman to walk onto a jobsite and not feel like a rarity. I want her to focus on mastering her craft and not navigating hostility. I want her to see women in every role: apprentice, journeyperson, foreman, superintendent, executive.

That future won’t build itself.

We are the builders. Of bridges. Of buildings. Of opportunity.

Let’s bring that same pride, discipline, and skill to CRAFTing Culture.

Because the strongest structures we leave behind won’t just be made of steel, they’ll be made of respect, equity, and shared strength.