Women working: Local construction company run by women
By TYLER DOMAAS
DCN Reporter
The construction crew finishes the house. This isn’t the first house they have built. This isn’t your average construction crew either. It is made up of all women.
The Women in Construction Co. (WiCC) is a building and remodeling contractor in Duluth. The company is made up of 22 women and was started in 2000.
“It was created in 2000 because our building needed a lot of work and we wanted to give women jobs,� says Kim Norgin, a worker at WiCC.
“The ages of these women range from 22 to 45. We do a lot of work in the Central Hillside,� Norgin says.
According to their website, www.womenworking.org, the company was created with three primary goals: To teach women construction skills, to utilize women crews to work on renovation and new construction projects, and to assist women in entering jobs that pay livable wages.
The WiCC works throughout the Central Hillside and Duluth. The company runs five to seven jobs at one time. Two of the women in the company each provide over 25 years of experience in housing development.
In addition, there are also six site supervisors, each sporting 10-25 years of construction experience.
In the seven years they have been working 97 buildings have been renovated, 16 housing units have been built, and 50 projects have been remodeled.
The WiCC also runs a cabinet shop. They create kitchen cabinets, vanities, and furniture for their customers.
According to the website, http://jscms.jrn.columbia.edu/cns/2006-02-28/marsh-womendroppingdishragsforskillsaws/, there has been an 18 percent increase in women construction workers in the past eight years.
“This is traditionally a man’s job. We are working to give women here jobs,� Norgin says.
Comments
I am so very proud to utilize my time reading your article. It is wonderful to know that women can lead an industry that is commonly "run by men." I was doing a search because I am currently in the process of starting a business like this in my home state where here the demand is high as well. I seem to want everyone to know that women are no longer traditional and it is ok for a woman to step out of the "traditional role", and still be a success. All blessings and much props to you. I am proud of you. Thank you for leading the way in this.
Sincerly,
Sande
Posted by: Sande Anderson | January 20, 2008 8:24 PM
I am so very proud to utilize my time reading your article. It is wonderful to know that women can lead an industry that is commonly "run by men." I was doing a search because I am currently in the process of starting a business like this in my home state where here the demand is high as well. I seem to want everyone to know that women are no longer traditional and it is ok for a woman to step out of the "traditional role", and still be a success. All blessings and much props to you. I am proud of you. Thank you for leading the way in this.
Sincerly,
Sande
Posted by: Sande | January 20, 2008 8:26 PM
I think it's a great idea. We are looking at following suit in the skip hire and waste management industry
Posted by: skip hire | January 28, 2008 2:53 PM