BUENA VISTA, Va. – Women are breaking barriers in construction, and in Altavista, they’re doing it with hard hats, high-fives, and maybe a little extra power tool action. Forget the idea that construction is just for the guys—because at this job site, the women are running the show.
Emily Gomez, an electrical apprentice for Moore’s Electrical and Mechanical, shared her experience: “It just feels empowering because you go to a job site and guys aren’t really expecting a girl to be there, especially a girl to be there to work. You know I’m cutting stuff, I’m using a bandsaw, impact drill, you know I’m doing everything that everybody else is doing, so it’s very empowering.”
At Moore’s Electrical and Mechanical, they’re honoring all 73 women in their workforce of 632 employees as part of National Women in Construction Week. While women make up about 12% of the company, employees say that number continues to grow each year—and they’re proud to be part of the change.
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For Emily Gomez, who started in construction more than two years ago, it took time to shift her mindset. “You know I was talking to my husband like, can I even do this? And he said, well, you can learn, right? You have the ability to learn, and I was like, oh yeah, I do, and I can learn this, and women can learn it, you know, just like men.”
To wrap up the week, they set up an equipment rodeo, giving these women a chance to put their skills to the test. Some women came in with heavy machinery experience, while others stepped outside their comfort zones, learning hands-on for the first time.
Christian Lynch, sales coordinator and account manager for Moore’s Electrical and Mechanical, reflected on the changes: “When I first started at Moore’s, there were probably a handful of women in the entire company, and it warms my heart to see the room filled with women.”
