Special Report

Diversity in Construction

As the population of the Southwest and the U.S. as a whole becomes more diverse, what steps can the construction industry take to open its doors to a wider variety of people?

The U.S. is becoming more diverse every day. The nation’s minority population reached 100.7 million in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“About one in three U.S. residents is a minority,” says Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon in a press release announcing the bureau’s findings. “To put this into perspective, there are more minorities in this country today than there were people in the U.S. in 1910.”

The fast-growing Southwest states are among the most diverse. Arizona has a Hispanic population more than double the national average and New Mexico’s is more than triple, according to Census Bureau data.

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An increasing number of owners and contractors want their construction sites to reflect this growing diversity. Two projects, CityCenter and the Phoenix Convention Center, illustrate the steps being taken to encourage women- and minority-owned suppliers and subcontractors to take on these types of large projects.

We also examine mentoring programs held by large general contractors for smaller firms to gain knowledge and build relationships in the industry.

A recently certified WBE steel contractor gives her insights to the benefits of being certified, and to the challenges and rewards for women-owned businesses today.

CityCenter & Phoenix Convention Center

Diversity Mentoring Programs

Q & A with Cathy McBride, M-Truss

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