The Construction Superwoman: A Qualitative Case Study of Success and Challenges in MEP Field and Project Management Roles

8 pages•Published: June 2, 2026

Abstract

Despite increased enrollment of women in construction education programs, women remain underrepresented in the construction industry, particularly in field and project management roles. This exploratory qualitative study examines the experiences of women working in field and project management positions within the Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) construction sector. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with women at different career stages to gain insight into workplace climate, professional expectations, and support structures in MEP construction. Interview data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns across participants’ accounts. Three primary themes were identified: (1) women described contributing to improved communication, empathy, and team synthesis within project teams; (2) participants reported relative isolation due to limited female representation, mentorship, and support networks; and (3) women described heightened performance expectations, collectively characterized in this study as the construction superwoman pattern. Participants reported feeling pressure to consistently exceed expectations in order to be perceived as competent, often without corresponding increases in compensation, advancement, or leadership representation. These findings suggest that while women bring valuable interpersonal and leadership strengths to MEP field and project management roles, structural and cultural conditions continue to impose disproportionate burdens on their success and retention.

Keyphrases: construction superwoman, gender based challenges, women in construction

In: Wesley Collins, Anthony Perrenoud and John Posillico (editors). Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 62nd Annual International Conference, vol 7, pages 120-127.

Links:	https://easychair.org/publications/paper/tcBBh
	https://doi.org/10.29007/kjt8

BibTeX entry

@inproceedings{ASC2026:Construction_Superwoman_Qualitative_Case,
  author    = {Lily Brown and Elizabeth Adams},
  title     = {The Construction Superwoman: A Qualitative Case Study of Success and Challenges in MEP Field and Project Management Roles},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 62nd Annual International Conference},
  editor    = {Wesley Collins and Anthony Perrenoud and John Posillico},
  series    = {EPiC Series in Built Environment},
  volume    = {7},
  publisher = {EasyChair},
  bibsource = {EasyChair, https://easychair.org},
  issn      = {2632-881X},
  url       = {/publications/paper/tcBBh},
  doi       = {10.29007/kjt8},
  pages     = {120-127},
  year      = {2026}}

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