Education and Career Advancement
Education is a cornerstone of economic security, and we are committed to breaking down barriers to advancement. We research student parents, career training opportunities through apprenticeships and workforce development, and other policies that reduce student debt and make college more accessible for women, particularly women of color.
Numbers Matter: Women Working in Construction in 2025
In 2025, women construction managers saw a decline in both their employment and their share of jobs. And while women’s share of construction apprentices improved slightly, they remain highly underrepresented. These numbers point to women’s resilience and staying power, but also show uneven progress [...]
From 72% to 17%: What Happens When You Stop Outreach to Women for Pre-Apprenticeship Programs
“Women just don’t apply” is a common misunderstanding heard from industry and apprenticeship stakeholders about women’s underrepresentation in the construction trades. Evidence from 12 cohorts (classes) of the co-ed Minuteman “Build It!” Carpentry pre-apprenticeship program in Massachusetts, however, shows that women’s low numbers are far [...]
Thankful for Small Graces: Women’s Construction Jobs Mostly Held Steady in 2025
It’s fitting that Women’s History Month, which began March 1, kicked off with Women in Construction (WIC) Week—an annual celebration led by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) to highlight and honor the vital contributions women make across the industry. In January [...]
IWPR Comments for Proposed Rule to Omit Advanced Degrees in Many Women-Dominated Fields from the Regulatory Definition of “Professional Degree”
Re: Comments for US Department of Education’s Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee Proposed Rule IWPR strongly opposes the proposed Department of Education rule reflecting the RISE Committee’s decision to omit many post-baccalaureate degrees from the regulatory definition of “professional degree.” The degrees [...]
