For anyone interested in shaping the places where millions of people live and work, a career in the construction industry might be an ideal fit. From office jobs to management and leadership roles to on-site work, there are countless opportunities within this industry – but all contribute to the creation of new spaces that leave a lasting impact.
However, the construction industry hasn’t always been known to welcome women – today, a little less than 10% of the jobs in the U.S. construction industry are held by women. That said, the industry is shifting to prioritize gender equality, and global integrated property and infrastructure companies like Lendlease are leading the charge.
Through formal initiatives and specialized programs, Lendlease is committed to building a more equitable industry where women have their fair share of seats at the table.
One of these programs is Lendlease’s Cornerstone Program, a two-year initiative that provides opportunities for structured training, exposure to multiple projects, and involvement in cross-business networking and professional development groups. Members of the program rotate through various business units over two years to ensure they are exposed to the many opportunities available at Lendlease, while gaining the skills required to take on a leadership role with the company in the future. The program is open to both men and women, and the inclusive culture at Lendlease contributes to a gender-balanced cohort year after year.
We spoke to three women in Lendlease’s Cornerstone Program, and each shared their experiences and outlined why the Cornerstone Program is the perfect place to enter the industry. From having the chance to explore their interests to acquiring valuable skills while operating in a supportive and welcoming environment, here are four reasons women should consider beginning their construction careers at Lendlease:
1. With initiatives in place that create an inclusive culture for women in construction, team members can focus solely on doing their best work and growing as professionals.
For Emma, a Project Engineer in the Cornerstone Program, finding a company that supported gender equality was a requirement as she looked for a full-time job after graduation. As a Mechanical Engineering major in undergrad, she was used to being the only woman in the classroom and she didn’t want the same experience in her professional career.
“It was a concern I had coming in to the industry,” Emma said. “Are people not going to respect me because of my gender?”
While attending an info session for Lendlease, she learned about the company’s initiatives for supporting women, from their employee resource groups to their annual internal women’s leadership conference. When she joined Lendlease’s Cornerstone Program in 2018, the work Lendlease is doing for gender equality was evident.
“You go to your trainings and you’re not the only girl in the room,” she said. “I’ve never felt like my input isn’t taken seriously because of my gender. Without that pressure, I can focus solely on doing the job I was hired to do.”
With Diversity & Inclusion as one of the company’s guiding principles, Lendlease is serious about promoting equality in the workplace. The company requires all employees complete an Unconscious Bias online certification and provides its employees with practical skills for embracing diverse people, skills, perspectives and experiences. And to specifically address gender diversity, Lendlease tracks the percentage of women on their team, including in senior executive positions, ensuring the company continues to increase representation across the board.
2. Rotations within or across projects give members of the program greater exposure within the business.
Afnan, a Project Engineer in the Cornerstone Program, received a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering and Construction Management, and a Bachelor’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering. While she originally wanted to be a field engineer, she learned that through Lendlease’s Cornerstone Program she could see the bigger picture of the construction management industry and gain hands-on experience through different roles.
“No matter how many degrees you get, you’ll explore what you’re interested in once you’re in the work,” Afnan said. “I thought I wanted to be a field engineer, but during that rotation I realized I didn’t want to do that for my career. If I had started in that role, I couldn’t have explored the different roles available in this industry.”
The Cornerstone Program also allowed Kristen, a Project Accountant in Investment Management, to explore the different ways finance fits into construction management. As an Accounting major, entering the construction industry wasn’t an obvious career path for her – but a summer internship with Lendlease led to a spot in the Cornerstone Program, where she worked as a Junior Project Accountant for a few New York City healthcare projects, followed by a rotation under the Financial Controller of the Americas where she calculated project overheads and cash forecasting. She finally settled on a role in Investment Management and is grateful she was exposed to an alternative career path than the ones typically pursued by Finance or Accounting majors.
“If I wasn’t in construction, I don’t think I would have the opportunity to transform skylines or build cities,” said Kristen. “In other industries, you’re usually very much limited to the digital realm. But just because you aren’t in engineering doesn’t mean you can’t be part of something like this. It’s really amazing to see something built and see it standing for years.”
3. Expansive professional development opportunities allow program participants to not only hone their skills, but to develop into future leaders.
Women interested in future leadership roles within the company will find the necessary support and education during their time in the Cornerstone Program, which provides soft skills training like time management, negotiation tactics, and relationship building, in addition to technical training resources.
“Lendlease realizes it’s not only the technical background that you have that will make the company what it is,” said Afnan. “They realize that in construction, you have to have interpersonal skills.”
This balance between soft and hard skills isn’t always common in engineering roles, but Lendlease’s emphasis on learning of all kinds leads to more well-rounded individuals ready to take on larger roles in the company.
“I didn’t know how useful the additional training and classes would be when I first started, but I quickly realized how much time management and project management applied directly to my work and it’s something I could use immediately,” said Emma. “With all of the available resources, Lendlease is really spending time investing in and training new hires, encouraging us to eventually become leaders within the company.”
4. The strong community in the Cornerstone Program, facilitated by networking events and team projects, means no one starts their career alone.
Members of the Cornerstone Program aren’t just learning about their own interests and carving out an individual career path – they’re joining a diverse group of people that they’ll work with throughout their career.
“When I first started, it was a very diverse mix of people,” said Afnan. “You get to explore the different cultures and what makes people unique. It makes the work that much more exciting.”
Lendlease facilitates relationships between members of the Cornerstone Program through the initial program kickoff, networking events, and education programming. For example – throughout the structured professional development trainings, members have group calls to discuss what they’ve learned and ask questions. They also participate in a months-long project to tackle big-picture goals set by the company; members of the program work together in teams and present their findings to senior leadership at Lendlease.
“We will all work together in the future, so it’s great to build these relationships now,” said Kristen. “A project engineer you get to know now could be an executive someday. And in the short-term, you might work with someone you know on your next rotation or when you settle in to your permanent position.” While Lendlease’s Cornerstone Program is a great place for any college graduate to begin their professional life, the company’s inclusive culture, individualized rotations, and professional growth opportunities make it an ideal place for women to get started in the construction industry and build a career they can be proud of.
Learn more about Lendlease and the Cornerstone Program here.
