Diversity and Inclusion in the Engineering-Construction Industry

Abstract

The special collection on Diversity and Inclusion in the Engineering-Construction Industry includes papers that discuss the topics of diversity and inclusion in the engineering-construction industry. The construction industry is facing significant challenges in hiring and retaining skilled labor, and this labor shortage has been forecasted to worsen. To solve this issue, increasing diversity and inclusion is imperative for the future workforce of the engineering-construction industry. Six articles included in this collection focus on issues such as the attraction and retention of underrepresented groups, affirmative action, discrimination, inequality, inequity, bias, segregation, and challenges in workplaces. Using databases from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Data USA, and the US Census Bureau, Shrestha and others have analyzed the employment levels and wage distributions in the United States by industry and occupation level with a focus on gender difference. Specifically, they confirmed that meager participation from women and a significant gender wage gap still exist with no sign of improvement.