Tradeswomen Paving Their Own Way

Expanding the construction workforce to include more women is a work in progress. Making up just 11% of total employment within the industry, the number of women working in trade roles is even smaller at 2.8%, according to NAHB's Eye on Housing blog. While most women in the field hold administrative and operations-related positions, the opportunity for impactful career growth working in the trades is something newcomers to home building should not overlook.

NAHB's Professional Women in Building (PWB) Week (Sept. 15-19) celebrates women in all facets of the industry including the trades. NAHB spoke with PWB members Elyse Adams and Brittney Quinn about their career paths in the trades and how PWB has positively influenced their journeys.

For Elyse Adams, president and owner of Bold City Builders based in Jacksonville Beach, Fla., her journey to the trades was anything but conventional. She'd spent several years working in Corporate America before starting the business with her husband, Will, in 2018.

"My husband left engineering a year or two [prior] after falling in love with finish carpentry," Adams recalled. "I was disillusioned with the corporate world and looking to start a business. Initially, the plan was that he'd teach me and I could be his helper until we could afford to hire someone else - but then I fell in love with it, too."

Since Adams owns her company and works primarily in the custom luxury home space, she didn't face a lot of the common hurdles - for example, not being valued on the job site by male coworkers - that many women in the trades deal with daily. It was her lack of formal knowledge and experience working in construction that proved to be her biggest hurdle in the early days. "There was so much to learn. It felt like starting a new career in the corporate world without ever having used a computer," Adams said.

Over the last seven years, building up her company's portfolio and her experience level has included working on a range of home projects - from building unique exterior entryways to intricate ceiling trim to luxe wall paneling. She credits building and sustaining strong professional relationships as having helped her excel. "When we started our business, we had no industry connections. If it weren't for the amazing women I met through PWB, we probably wouldn't have a business today."

Adams is currently the PWB Chair for the Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA). The local council is very active in their community and introduces young women to the trades. NEFBA's PWB council offers a program where they work with high school-aged girls on designing, planning and fabricating woodworking projects. This fall, they will embark on a new project creating wheelchair-accessible planters for an assisted living facility.

As someone who enjoys being hands-on with their work and seeing a project through to completion, Brittney Quinn didn't need much convincing to pursue a career path in the trades. "I love the satisfaction of working with my hands and problem-solving - whether it's troubleshooting a machine or building a window. I take pride in my craftsmanship," she shared with NAHB.

For Quinn, who's a manufacturing team lead at the Andersen Corporation, one of her biggest obstacles early on in her career was adapting to new machinery and technologies. Thankfully, she persevered by being proactive about seeking out additional training that allowed her to learn, grow and improve on the job.

When it comes to working in an industry where you don't often see many women or are constantly combatting workplace bias, building a support system has been vital for Quinn. It's important to be able to rely on colleagues that can offer trusted guidance and that you can easily communicate with," she suggested.

Joining an organization such as PWB has been key to her professional growth. "It gave me a boost in confidence. Being recognized makes women feel empowered to take on new challenges," Quinn said.

For young women looking to join the residential construction field, there's ample opportunities in the trades. She recommends exploring different trades that spark your interest, developing trade skills, being intentional about navigating the industry with a growth mindset and building a support system along.

Learn more about NAHB's Professional Women in Building Week (Sept. 15-19, 2025).

NAHB PWB Week is sponsored by Andersen Windows & Doors.