Boston – Turner Construction Company announced its first series of Tradeswomen Luncheons to celebrate women in the construction industry.
Four Turner jobsites hosted socially distanced luncheons for tradeswomen in 2021. These events took place at the WS Development’s Seaport Block L4 Tower, MITIMCO’s projects in Kendall Square, and Wellesley College’s Science Center Renovation and Expansion. Each luncheon event focused on understanding and promoting physical, psychological and emotional safety for tradeswomen within the industry.
“During the luncheon, it was apparent to me that we have come a long way in our industry but we still have a long way to go,” said Maureen Kirkpatrick, Turner vice president and operations manager. “My biggest takeaway is that the women really want to have an inclusive environment where they are given opportunities to learn their trade and be treated fairly. The issues facing women in this industry are different than those of men; they have additional obstacles to overcome. It’s important that we make sure there is an advocate and a safe place for women to go on-site, and that they know who or where that is at all times.”
The luncheons, hosted by Turner project managers, Carrie Borges Patricio and Ali Callahan, and Meghan Petruzziello, project safety manager, provided an opportunity for tradeswomen to get to know each other and have a safe place to share experiences and concerns.
The Turner team is continuing efforts to take more intentional and actionable steps and offer specific training to the workforce to ensure a safe and equitable work environment. Representatives of the firm say the team looks forward to expanding on the series and planning other similar events in collaboration with their clients.
