Why Diversity and Inclusion in the AEC Industry Is Necessary—How to Achieve It

Did you know that 70% of women engineers leave the field before they have 20 years of professional experience? Only 13% of engineers are women, and only 20% of engineers are disabled. Plus, 19% of engineers are underrepresented minorities, and only 2% of engineers are women of color. Why are these numbers so low? Why are women leaving before retirement? Why are some soap dispensers racist? We’ll talk about the factors that lead to these issues and what each of us can do to improve these numbers. Inclusion is one of the key mechanisms for reaching a more diverse workforce. When we all feel included, we’ll see an increase in the diversity of our teams. Inclusion is also necessary in our projects. We’ll talk about how a diverse team leads to designs that are inclusive of all people. And if that wasn’t good enough, we’ll also look at how diverse teams perform better, are happier, and will improve your bottom line.