Identifying the Most Effective Factors in Attracting Female Undergraduate Students to Construction Management

Abstract

Despite initiatives to recruit and retain females in construction management (CM), women are underrepresented in both CM education and the construction industry as a whole. This study explored the factors that are most influential in attracting female students to CM degree programs. The study sample comprised female students (n = 90) enrolled in CM education programs at five universities. Data were used to investigate the factors, identified through a review of previous research, that were most influential in female student decision making to pursue a CM degree program. Sixteen factors were identified. The research supported these factors as positively influential, however, as expected, some factors clearly had greater positive influence than others. The two most influential factors in female selection of a CM degree program were identified as: internships and awareness of career opportunities. Having a father in the industry and non-internship work experiences were also seen as two highly positively influential factors. The results suggest these factors should be the emphasis of efforts to recruit female students as they are most likely to positively influence them.