Skip to content
Report/Research

How Apprenticeship Programs in Construction Trades Can Establish Family-Friendly Policies

March 27, 2023

At a Glance

The construction industry’s lack of pregnancy and family medical leave policies can limit women’s ability to complete apprenticeships successfully and safely, often forcing tradeswomen to choose between their work and their families. This brief provides information and best practices on how construction employers can offer these crucial benefits.

Contributors
Geri Palast, Principal Author
Beth Berendsen, Policy Director, Chicago Women in Trades
Lauren Sugerman, Director, National Center for Women’s Equity in Apprenticeship and Employment, Chicago Women in Trades
Toni Fitzgerald, Contractor
Practices & Centers Topics

Construction trade apprenticeships offer a pathway for parents to earn a family-sustaining wage, yet women remain underrepresented in these roles. The industry’s lack of pregnancy and family medical leave policies can limit women’s ability to complete construction trade apprenticeships successfully and safely and are often a factor in tradeswomen leaving the industry. In a 2021 survey of tradeswomen by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, 63% of parents with children under age 18 who said they had seriously considered leaving the trades mentioned a lack of pregnancy accommodations as a very or somewhat important factor. Equally telling, 56% of tradeswomen who are younger than 35 and do not have children cited a lack of pregnancy accommodations among their reasons for considering leaving the industry.

This brief reviews the benefits and best practices of creating family-friendly policies for construction apprenticeship programs.


This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA). The product was created by the recipient and does not necessarily reflect the official position of DOL/ETA. DOL/ETA makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it.

Visit JFF's Center for Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning
Visit the Center

Related Content

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Apprenticeship & WBL

Visit Our New Site for JFF's National Innovation Hub for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Registered Apprenticeship! Visit JFF's Center for Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning

June 19, 2020
Tool

JFF's Program Design Framework for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Registered Apprenticeship

This framework offers field-informed program design elements and considerations for building systems, processes, partnerships, and practices that can drive diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in Registered Apprenticeship programs. Visit JFF's Center for Apprenticeship & Work-Based…

September 13, 2022