Good-paying Jobs for Women in Construction and the Trades

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

You know, construction workers have always been in high demand, and we need them now more than ever before. We need construction workers in order to build housing, apartments, and homes -- the things that workers, families and older adults are searching for all the time across Maine.

We need skilled workers to fix our roads and bridges, to improve our infrastructure, and to build out high speed internet, and make our transportation network safe.

We need to expand the construction workforce, and this means recruiting and training more women. Women are underrepresented in this critical industry.

Nationwide, women make up only 11 percent of the construction industry. In Maine, that statistic is a little better, but not by much, where women make up only 15 percent of the construction industry.

I know a little something about being the only woman in the room, as the first woman District Attorney in New England, the first woman Attorney General of Maine, and now the first woman Governor. I didn't run for office to be the first woman in any of those positions, however, I ran because I believed I was the most qualified person for the job. There are qualified women across Maine who belong in fields dominated by men, and I want to knock down the barriers that are keeping them from pursuing good-paying jobs. So, two years ago, I signed an Executive Order to create pathways for more women to join the construction workforce. And this year, I'm proud to have declared March 1-7, 2026 as "Women in Construction Week" in order to reflect on how far we've come.

Since I signed that Executive Order for Women in Construction, my administration has worked with employers, unions, and training partners to get more than 300 women jobs in the trades, and to get more than 400 women into job training programs. These people are earning CDL licenses and other credentials to run heavy equipment and machinery, the things they need to succeed in the evolving construction industry in Maine.

Other women are following in their footsteps. In 2025, more than 300 people participated in pre-apprenticeships, and another 3,800 people took part in our apprenticeship programs, earning money and getting job experience at the same time. Well, more than 1,000 of those people were women.

Maine needs to fix our roads and bridges, to build more homes, to expand high speed internet, and to improve our transportation network. We cannot afford to leave any talented workers on the sidelines. Women are a crucial part of Maine's workforce, and they should be welcomed and embraced in every sector of our economy, including those traditionally dominated by men, including the construction industry and the trades.

So to women across Maine who are interested in a good paying job in the trades, I say: there are opportunities waiting for you.

To celebrate Women in Construction Week, the Maine Department of Labor has created a new Women in Trades page on its website to share the inspiring stories of women in Maine's construction industry, highlighting training opportunities with industry, union, and education partners, promoting networking with women led organizations, and offering resources to employers, and to connect people with job opportunities near them. You can learn more at apprenticeship.maine.gov/women-in-trades.

To businesses in the construction industry across Maine who are looking to hire: there are women waiting to fill the good-paying jobs you offer. Women in Construction Week is the perfect time to recruit those talented individuals to support your businesses.

This is Governor Janet Mills. Thank you for listening.