Leadership Foundations for Women in Construction

This interactive online course is an introduction to transformational leadership specifically for women construction professionals. It focuses on the behavioral side of leadership, social and emotional intelligence, influence, and relationship building. 

The curriculum includes:

• Female Leadership in Construction: Understanding the difference between transactional and transformational leadership models and when to lean into each style.
• Core Values: Understand your internal motivations and how to inspire other people.
• Sponsorship Vs. Mentorship: How to create opportunities for yourself and others.
• The Leadership Mindset: How to manage self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and how to think strategically.

Learning outcomes:

• Have an understanding of your leadership strengths and how to apply them in your current role.
• Have a vision for your career and how it fits in with your company’s goals.
• Understand why the gender gap exists in the construction industry and why women cannot solve this issue alone.
• Understand the difference between mentorship and sponsorship and how to find a sponsor for yourself.
• Develop an action plan to build relationships inside and outside of your organization.
• Be equipped with strategic thinking tools that can be applied at any level of your organization.
• Have a strategy to increase your confidence and influence within your organization.

Course logistics: 

This course follows a blended learning model and is a combination of self-guided online learning, live workshops, and Q&A sessions with women leaders from the construction industry and includes:

• Four weeks of on-demand curriculum (taken on your schedule – through a combination of video, audio, articles, and worksheets).
• Four x 1-hour live workshops via Zoom with recordings available (This includes one Q&A session with women in senior leadership positions from the industry).
• Action planning worksheets.
• Networking – build relationships with other women in the industry to share best practices.
• Evidence-based articles to deepen your learning. 

The course consists of 9 hours of online curriculum that you do at your own pace, and 4 x one-hour live sessions over Zoom.

Live Zoom workshops and Q&A sessions happen from 9:00 – 10:00 AM PST on Thursdays. The Zoom sessions are recorded if you can’t attend live.

Delivery Method:  Blended Session – Zoom Webinar & Online-Self Paced

Course Fee Includes: Access to the course, course materials, and upon completion a digital certificate if requested.

This course is delivered in partnership with local and provincial construction associations across Canada. You will be participating with a group of industry peers from multiple regions. 

Sharing a single registration between two or more individuals is not permitted. Please register each person that will be in attendance. 

There are no prerequisites for this course.  

This session would be ideal for any professional women in construction and related industries at any level who are interested in progressing their careers. This includes project managers, project coordinators, estimators, superintendents, accounting professionals, HR professionals, etc.

1. Computer or laptop

• • This course will involve on-screen interaction with your instructor and classmates, reading/viewing on-screen content (slides or videos), and interacting via typing with questions or responses. For this reason, cellphones may not be adequate. 

  • Windows 10 or Mac iOS. 

2. Webcam (Mandatory)– in order to engage and collaborate, participants will be expected to have their webcams on for the duration of the class

3. Microphone (Mandatory)

4. Internet connection- For best results, you will want to ensure you have an internet connection with an upload/download speed of 3-5 Mbps. You can test your internet speed here. The minimum recommended speed is 1.5 Mbps, but anything below 3 Mbps may result in loss of quality or buffering. Ideally hardwired connection versus wireless for stability - connect your computer directly to your router using an ethernet cable, rather than using your home wi-fi.

5. A quiet space with minimal distractions –The microphone will be engaged for interactive sessions. Please plan to be fully engaged in the class and clear your work schedule just as you would for the in-class program.

6. Comfortable chair

“The Atlantic District of Bird Construction sent 3 team members to the course hosted by The Construction Association of Nova Scotia. They came back saying it was one of the best zoom workshops they've ever been to” 

Neal Lade, Vice President, and District Manager, Bird Construction 

“The course was so inspiring; it opened up participants’ eyes to opportunities to uplevel their current positions. People were still talking about it three months later. They came out of the session with a whole new perspective of where they could take their careers.”

Stephanie Wallace, Director Ottawa, Construction Association 

“The internal training at my company taught me about leadership skills. The coaching I received from Ambition Theory taught me the behavioural side of things. By combining the two, I learned how to step up and lead others.”

Casey Corriveau, PCL Construction