Where are all the women at? Insights from the Danish construction educational system

Less than 10% of employees in the Danish construction industry are women, and even fewer are in management positions. This paper investigates why still so few women are attracted to an education in an industry with an abundance of career possibilities and a dire need of employees. Do the expectations of traditional gender roles contribute to women turning their backs on the industry or does the system create a self-fulfilling prophecy? Using a mixed-method approach, with 334 responses on three sets of questionnaires and multiple interviews with relevant representatives in the industry, the findings suggest that there is a significant difference in the way male and female Constructing Architect students view women's roles in the construction industry. This becomes apparent when examining one of the leading educational programs for prospective leaders and managers in the construction industry. Thus, showing a systemic blindness that can be traced back through the school system. We can conclude that from the perspectives of the students, the construction industry's reputation is both archaic and discriminatory and can influence the educational choices of women.