Women breaking ground in the construction industry

DW (English)

Fewer than 2% of construction workers in Germany are women. One reason: women were banned from these jobs until 1994. But even since then, the numbers have barely risen. Why is that—and what’s it really like for women on today’s construction sites?

Transcript

00:00At a construction site on a rooftop in Berlin, Cheryl Silverman stands out.

00:06She's the only woman on a team of eight men.

00:09That's still unusual here.

00:11In Germany, women make up less than 2% of roofers.

00:14But Cheryl loves what she does.

00:17She originally studied to become a teacher, but decided to make the switch.

00:24For me, roofing means the ultimate freedom.

00:27You're outside in the fresh air, there's music, and you're with your team.

00:31Being on a construction site feels like being part of a parade.

00:35The work is physically demanding.

00:37One reason why women were long banned from working in construction in Germany.

00:42That law was repealed in 1994.

00:45Today, there are clear weight limits for what men and women are allowed to carry.

00:50But despite the legal changes, women are still rare on building sites.

00:55Many people think of construction work as unskilled labor.

01:02They see it as dirty work, done by people who don't use their brains.

01:07Just laying bricks or welding all day.

01:10I think that's one reason why women stay away.

01:15Ronny Emmerich says men's attitudes can be part of the problem.

01:21As a father of three daughters, he understands why construction jobs might not seem welcoming.

01:27Construction workers have a reputation.

01:30Things like whistling from the roof, calling down to women on the street.

01:34You hear things like, hey, come here, stuff like that.

01:41But he says that as older workers retire and younger ones take their place, things are slowly improving.

01:49There's more mutual respect now.

01:54Women naturally bring that with them.

01:57The atmosphere has changed a lot.

02:01We care more about being a good team.

02:04And a lot of the old school guys have moved on.

02:10Elsewhere in Berlin, 24-year-old Svenja Börschel is training to become a plumber.

02:16She's learning the trade at her family's business.

02:19Svenja had already completed a business apprenticeship, but realized she was more drawn to working with her hands.

02:27I really enjoy it.

02:30It's totally my thing.

02:32I'm not stuck in an office sitting behind a desk all day.

02:35I get to be out and about.

02:37Sure, I work on the computer, which I also like.

02:40But I get to be creative, too, choosing tiles, designing bathrooms.

02:43That's what makes it fun.

02:45Master plumber Tino Kerko is training her.

02:48She's the first woman to take up this role in the company.

02:52And her boss is fully on board.

02:54He says customers often react with surprise when she arrives on the job.

03:01Sometimes people are a bit surprised at first.

03:04But many are happy about it, especially older women.

03:07They're usually really enthusiastic.

03:10Svenja's mother is the office manager.

03:13She is proud of her daughter.

03:14As a teenager, Christina dreamed of becoming a bicycle mechanic.

03:18But back then, that wasn't an option.

03:21Doing an apprenticeship in a male-dominated trade in the late 1980s.

03:27My father just said, that's a man's job.

03:30No way.

03:32Christina became a nurse instead.

03:36Now she's encouraging her daughter to follow her own path.

03:40Svenja hopes to take over the business one day.

03:42She hopes to inspire other women to apply for apprenticeships here.

03:46But that hasn't happened yet.

03:49A lot of women just don't dare to try it.

03:53A lot of them would be really great at the job and would enjoy it.

03:56Maybe their dads say, you couldn't handle it.

03:59Or, why would you want to work around all those men?

04:03But if no one takes the first step, nothing will change.

04:07Cheryl Silverman has taken that step.

04:13After work, her team gathers for a barbecue.

04:16It's a monthly tradition.

04:18Her boss would like to see more women on the team.

04:21He says everyone benefits.

04:24Women bring different strengths.

04:28They complement the older guys.

04:30They're more precise.

04:32They're often better with fine details.

04:35And they improve the team dynamic.

04:41Things feel more human.

04:43Cheryl feels like she belongs.

04:46One day, she'd like to become a master roofer herself.

04:49So she can also work in a more planning focused role later on.

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