Paper and Presentation: The Path to Leadership for Women in Construction
Abstract: Statistics show that only 8.1% of the fortune 500 CEOs are women, which is equivalent to 41 women CEOs out of the 500 total CEOs. With construction being a male dominated field, women face many challenges, stereotypes, and misconceptions that can come in the way of them reaching executive roles in their industry. Consequently, young women witnessing their fellow women challenges need guidance on how to lead and how to crush stereotypes. In this presentation, two UMD women engineers will offer their insight on their experience in the male-dominated construction industry as well as provide key points on how to lead at a young age while being women. The speakers will also point out the unconscious biases they encounter or witness on the tough job sites. Additionally, they will discuss what their male counterparts in the construction industry can do to help empower women. The presenters will also discuss the soft skills required for young men and women to climb up the ladder and advance in their careers.
PMI Talent Triangle: Leadership (Power Skills)
Biography: Hala Alkhalouf is a senior consultant at Delta Consulting Group. She has both a bachelor degree in Civil Engineering and a master’s in Project Management from the University of Maryland. She is currently a PHD student at UMD majoring in Project Management. With over nine years in the industry, Hala worked on multiple large projects including multi-billion projects in both the US and abroad. Hala mainly works on claims management, project advisory, litigation support, dispute resolution, quantifying delays and damages…etc. Hala also has her PSP (Planning and Scheduling Professional) Certificate.
Both Hala and Nour are sisters who arrived to the US together from the Middle East to pursue the American Dream. They both are active members in the Women in Construction (WIC) Organization. Both women have participated in the last annual WIC conference (which was attended by almost 600 women and men) in October of 2022 as speakers and moderators. Both women are advocates for mental health and have participated in campaigns focusing on the mental health challenges that women in construction come across. Being the immigrant women with the accents in the room, both women continuously advocate for diversity and inclusion in the construction workforce.
