May 12, 2024
Caterpillar event supports women in construction
Caterpillar’s first Women in Construction Celebration took place this spring in Clayton, N.C. It was a chance for women in the industry to learn and put their skills to the test. Kait Burds, civil operator foreman at Mortenson, successfully demonstrated her advanced machine operator skills by maneuvering difficult job site challenges in record time, earning her top honours at the skills test portion of the event.
Burds was one of 18 women who gathered at Caterpillar’s Edward J. Rapp Customer Training Center to compete.
“I feel really good; the competition was pretty stiff. It’s good affirmation of the hard work I put into my career,” said Burds. “I hope this event gives women in construction more exposure and gives them the confidence to go out and do things that scare them.”
Along with the tests, the competitors participated in a panel discussion where they shared best practices, discussed managing a successful career in a male-dominated industry and talked about the importance of recruiting more female operators and technicians into the workforce.
In a press release, Caterpillar said the construction industry continues to demonstrate significant growth and although more women are joining the construction industry than ever before, they still make up a small portion of the workforce. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 14 per cent of construction workers in 2022 were female.