PowerToFly Rocked Austin with Vrbos Women Tech Leaders

PowerToFly Rocked Austin with Vrbos Women Tech Leaders PowerToFly was excited to reunite with Vrbo (formerly HomeAway) to present an evening of networking and inspiring discussions, lead by Vrbos women tech leaders. Held at Vrbos Austin headquarters and hosted by PowerToFlys Cristina Duke (an Austin resident) the evening began with a chance for our invited guests to network with each other and members of the Vrbo team while also enjoying various product demos.The evening kicked into high gear with a keynote address by Vrbos Anita Dodia, VP, Engineering before our attendees split into breakout sessions for individuals working in Engineering, Product Program Management, Partner Success and Business, with each discussion spearheaded by a Vrbo leader, who included Laura Howell, Sr. Director, Partner Success Martta Howard, Director, Product Operations and Hayley McKeon, Sr. Program Manager, Brand Marketing.After some amazing, frank discussions, we transitioned back into networking for th e rest of the night. Heres what one attendee had to say about her experience Really a wonderful and well put together event. I enjoyed the keynote speaker as well as the breakout session. I learned quite a bit about Vrbo that is really exciting.Vrbo, part of Expedia Group, has introduced a new way for people to travel together, pairing homeowners with families and friends looking for places to stay, with unique properties in 190 countries around the world. This is your opportunity to meet with the women tech leaders and allies who make it all possible.Vrbo is hiring Their amazing benefits include plenty of paid vacation, up to 20 weeks of parental leave, an employee stock purchase program, and travel reimbursements. To learn mora about Vrbo and their open positions, visit their page on PowerToFly.Feel free to share with your friends and colleagues and be sure to tag vrbolife and powertofly HELLO and welcome to Vrbo and PowerToFlys evening of networking in Aust in, Texas. Our rapt audience awaits our speakers. We had an incredible capacity audience A great night for networking and learning. A perfect platform for honest discussions. PowerToFlys Cristina Duke and Lauren Hagerty at the event. Related Articles Around the Web Vrbo One of the biggest challenges in almost all industries today is achieving gender parity. Gender diversity provides huge benefits in the workplace. pWhile some industries have made significant advancements in gender diversity, some industries lag further behind... and the construction industry is well-known for being in the latter category. If someone says, construction workers, youll likely picture a group of men in yellow hard hats analyzing an architects plans or laying bricks on top of a scaffold. And men at work signs only help to reinforce this image.pThis stereotype is rooted in reality. When was the last time you actually spotted a woman on a construction site? Or hired a female plumber or carpenter? Your answer is most likely never. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statisticsreports that only 3.4% of the total of 8.3 million construction employees are women.pBut the construction industry has a lot more to offer than steel-toed boots and hard hats, and it needs women to help advance the industry in this era of rapid change. Here are 5 reasons why women joining the workforce or looking to make a pivot should consider a career in construction.h21. Fuel Innovation/h2pNot only is diversity the socially and morally right thing to do, but it is also actually an excellent business strategy. pResearch presented in the Harvard Business Reviewshows that diverse teams develop more innovative ideas. This is further supported by a study conduct ed by Gallupon the performance of gender-diverse teams versus single-gender teams, which found that the difference in backgrounds and perspectives led to better business performance and problem-solving. h22. Capitalize on Demand/h2pThe construction industry is currently experiencing a labor shortage. The industry itself is booming and projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries, with total spending projected to exceed $1.45 trillion in 2023/a. However, most construction companies are unable to meet the rising demand. pAccording to the Associated General Contractors of America/a, more than 80% of contractors are experiencing difficulties filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.pAnd demand isnt limited to individual contributor roles. Given the industry boom, there are a number of open stable and high-paying roles (any project managers out there?) waiting for the right candidateh23. Leadership Opportunities/h2pAccording to the Bur eau of Labor Statistics/a, women compose only 7.7% of the total 1 million managerial positions in construction.br/pBut given the highly collaborative nature of construction work, more women in leadership roles would help drive innovation and enhance productivity.Furthermore, as a woman in construction in a leadership position, youd have the unique opportunity to drive change for the industry and make it a more attractive option for other women.h24. High-Income Potential/h2pSalaries for many skilled positions in construction are on the rise, making a construction career a prime choice for women looking for a high-paying job,pThe 2018 Construction Craft Salary Surveyconducted by the National Center for Construction Education and Research revealed that salaries for many skilled craft areas are increasing. Project managers and project supervisors topped the list at $92,523 and $88,355, respectively. The next set of highest-paying jobs include those of combo welders ($71,067), instrument ation technicians ($70,080), pipe welders ($69,222), power line workers ($68,262) and industrial electricians ($67,269). Of the 32 categories of workers in the survey, 19 positions earned an average salary of $60,000 or higher.h25. Sense of accomplishment/h2p The construction industry can give employees a unique sense of achievement. Yes, the job is stressful and the work can be demanding, but nothing beats the feeling of being able to build something from the ground up. pHow many professionals in other industries can point at a school, a hospital, or a skyscraper and say I helped build that?pThe construction industry has a long way to go in combating gender bias and supporting women in the workforce, but given the current demand for workers, theres no better time to pick up a sledgehammer (figurative or literal) and smash the gender stereotypes plaguing the construction industry.