It’s an announcement 118 years in the making: in February, the Winnipeg Construction Association (WCA) named RRC Polytech instructor Ellowyn Nadeau the first woman board chair in its history.

“This is about women in general — it shows we have a place in this industry,” says Nadeau. “We’re finally achieving an understanding that women can contribute in this field, and we want to. It’s an honour and a privilege.

Nadeau has a long history in construction. She’s been a Construction Management instructor at RRC Polytech since 2015, a Supply Chain Management Professional since 2010, and a professional civil engineer since 2000. Engineering runs in her family — her dad was a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Manitoba — but for many women and girls, construction has not been considered a viable option.

“There weren’t a lot of women in the industry in the 1990s,” says Nadeau. “Even now, there are more women in offices than in the field. The field is less welcoming to women — you’re constantly transitioning from crew to crew, job to job, and you have to prove yourself every time. As an industry, we have to work on that.”

Proving herself is something Nadeau has done. She is past chair of Manitoba Women in Construction, a member of the Committee for Increasing Participation of Women in Engineering, and a member of PEO International, a philanthropic organization providing educational opportunities for women. She joined the WCA board in 2015.

“The WCA has been very supportive, respectful, open and encouraging,” says Nadeau. “This is a culmination of the last couple years, but it’s just the start.”

Dustin Pernitsky, WCA Communications Manager, said Nadeau becoming chair signals a long-needed shift in the province’s construction industry toward being more inclusive.

“Ellowyn knows the portfolio and the industry very well — her appointment isn’t a surprise, which means we are headed in the right direction,” he says. “We need to find new sources of labour, and we haven’t historically done a good job of recruiting women. We want to continue that momentum — it’s also about diversifying the industry.”

RRC Polytech and the WCA have a strong partnership — including entrance awards for Construction Management students — and Nadeau’s direct link to future professionals is critical ahead of an expected labour shortage, allowing the College to better prepare and train students entering the field.

“Being chair of the WCA enables me to give students up-to-date information on the industry,” says Nadeau. “And it shows students that construction is diverse — and you should look at the role, not at the gender.”

Nadeau says RRC Polytech supports her work with the WCA, as it means both instructors and students can keep up with the changing industry.

“In 10 years I’d like to see a significant change — double or triple the number of women in the field,” she says. “More women superintendents, louder voices in the industry, more women in construction leadership roles. I see that coming, but we’re not quite there yet.”

Still, Nadeau believes this is a good start.

“There are so many passionate women in construction,” she says. “I definitely want to see another woman as a board chair.”

Photo credit: Carman Tang, Winnipeg Construction Association