Host Angela Highland sits down with NAWIC National President Lauline Mitchell, ESP. In addition to being the 2022-2023 NAWIC President, Lauline is the Director of PreConstruction at BBI Construction in Oakland, California. Lauline discusses her vision for women in construction, leadership and the power of NAWIC on women's lives and careers. This is a great conversation that you do not want to miss.

 

 

Support NAWIC by becoming a sponsor! To learn more about the different sponsorship packages, visit the NAWIC online store. 

The NAWIC Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) Committee and our membership are delighted to present an opportunity to recognize key people, partners, and programs in a countrywide, industrywide, and association-wide contest that is imperative to support and advance progress. For questions, contact DEI@nawic.org.

National Board of Directors elections are now open! Check out our candidate guide for the current slate of candidates. Eligible voters have received an email from Association Voting with a link to the online ballot and instructions on how to vote. Make sure you go through the entire ballot, push submit, and you receive a confirmation email so your vote counts!

If you believe you should have received an email and did not, please check your junk and spam folders and then email laurim@nawic.org.

You are cordially invited to participate in an online anonymous survey, conducted by researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio. This study aims to 1) identify the needs, potential benefits, and implementation barriers of equipment teleoperation/automation technology in practice, and 2) to examine the current hiring and performance management practices for equipment operators and identify the barriers and challenges to creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce, especially in the context of the incorporation of construction robots. 

The survey will only take about 10 mins, and it’s completely anonymous. Your input is appreciated!

 

 

There are some aphorisms that seem cringe-worthy now that I am more experienced, more mature, and more introspective. This idea that it requires strength to survive feels as strange to me as if I were tasked with speaking a foreign language. And, who thought that survival was the goal? What about thriving, fulfillment, or happiness. The concept is generally attributed to Charles Darwin – incorrectly. He did not posit the premise of “survival of the fittest.” His theory was that survival was based on an ability to adapt and adjust.

We face shifting situations all the time that require adaptability and a willingness to adjust our mindset, approach, language, or perspective to both survive and thrive. In their research at Harvard, Heifitz and Linsky distinguish between technical and adaptive challenges. Technical challenges being those with readily available and defined solutions. Think of it as the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle. Adaptive challenges require experimentation because a past solution may not work again or might not be appropriate with someone else. These are tricky situations to navigate. Mostly because they involve other people. People with different needs, desires, perspectives, opinions, or experiences. Like any skill, we can learn to be more adaptable. Consider these approaches in your work and personal life:

To draw attention to the need for mental health support for construction workers, the Associated General Contractors of California held a Mental Health Awareness Stand Down on May 19. Joining AGC was Pleasanton, California-based infrastructure contractor Teichert Inc., Operating Engineers Local 3 and Elk River, Minnesota-based safety consulting firm Loyalty Point Leadership.

Hongtao Dang of Washington State University will develop a training program to engender jobsite cultures where workers feel comfortable speaking out.

The agency cautioned employers against revoking COVID-related ADA accommodations without an individualized assessment.