Berni Mount was recently selected as a Waymaker by the Associated General Contractors for her outstanding contribution to helping women in construction. March is “Women in Construction” month, and Berni spent some time with us discussing her involvement in the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), and how it has grown over the years.
Women in Construction is celebrated during first full week of March across the nation, and is a time to recognize women who work in the field, as well as encourage women to consider construction as a career path. NAWIC hosts a large March mixer, where everyone can get together to socialize, and discuss current issues, as well as recruit other interested women to join. “I’m so encouraged at how many young women have joined in the last year. I am still learning their names!”
However, Berni explains, NAWIC is more than just social events. “I have met so many ladies of the years and created numerous friendships. We do a variety of community service projects as well. In the past, we have done work for nonprofits like Habitat for Humanity, and have also built play houses for CASA, who would then raffle them off as a fundraiser. We have done landscaping and small renovation projects around town as well. So while networking is a big part of what we do, we also try and give back to the community as well.”
“There have so many women who are willing to help. You just send out an email, and you’ll get all sorts of advice from all of walks of life, companies, etc.”
NAWIC continues to grow each year, as more women from various areas of construction join. “I see more and more women join who aren’t in administrative positions, which is a wonderful thing to see! The number of members has also continued to grow over the years. And as a result, you learn so many things, especially regarding how to deal with different personalities and navigate those.”
“Southern Colorado Construction Career Day is March 17th, and a lot of NAWIC members participate in it—we want young women to know that it’s not just about carrying a hammer around. There is so much more to a career in construction than that!”
