Adam Smith Business School

Research focus: Gender, work and inclusive growth

Despite significant advances in workplace technologies, the construction industry remains heavily male-dominated. Yet as physical strength becomes less central to many construction roles, new pathways are opening for women to enter and succeed in the sector. This research project asks how training interventions can support that shift.

The study, Empowering Women in Opportunity Jobs, is an international collaboration led by researchers from Harvard Business School, the University of Glasgow, and Bocconi University. Co-investigator Dr Eleonora Brandimarti (Adam Smith Business School) is working with partners in Colombia to trial new approaches to firm-sponsored training programmes. The project is supported by the Jobs and Opportunity Initiative (JOI) at J-PAL, with funding of $155,000 USD.

A real-world experiment with practical impact

The research will use a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to test two key features of training design: cohort composition and training content. Specifically, it will examine whether women benefit from:

• participating in training groups with more female peers
• receiving soft skills modules (e.g. leadership, communication) in addition to technical instruction.

Working with a large construction employer in Colombia, the project will gather rigorous evidence on how these design elements influence women’s retention, performance, and job satisfaction.

Shaping workforce development policy

The findings aim to inform how employers and policymakers design reskilling programmes for underrepresented groups. While the study is focused on construction, the insights will be relevant across sectors undergoing technological change and experiencing talent shortages.

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For further information, please contact business-school-research@glasgow.ac.uk 

First published: 20 January 2026