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THINKINC.

Gender and racial equity in the trades

Only 4% of construction jobs go to women, according to Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT). As Congress hammered out a $1 trillion infrastructure bill in summer 2021, CWIT and the National Taskforce on Tradeswomen’s Issues wanted to call attention to that gender disparity.

Thinkinc. worked closely with them to write and place a thought-leadership piece in the trade publication Construction Dive. We further constructed an eye-opening campaign using traditional and social media to highlight a key equity amendment to the infrastructure bill. Sen. Gillibrand’s amendment would increase job opportunities for tradeswomen and people of color. The measure had the backing fo CWIT, the tradeswomen’s taskforce and more than 200 trade and equity-rights groups.

Thinkinc. coordinated the release of statements and posts trumpeting the upcoming amendment and, after its submission to the Senate, thanking Sen. Gillibrand and colleagues. Thinkinc. seized on this once-in-a-generation infrastructure investment and Gillibrand’s amendment to draw attention to the lack of equity in the trades, and we’re glad to see representatives in Washington addressing it.