Women tour Capitol restoration site led by tradeswomen working on the project, October, 2015.

Photo by Jessica Hayssen, Minnesota AFL-CIO

Few women are known to have been involved directly in construction of the Capitol, contributing to the building mainly through cleaning and offsite roles, but the picture is different as the statehouse undergoes a $310 million renovation.

The building is undergoing its first comprehensive preservation effort since its was built in 1905. The three-year project is scheduled to be completed in 2017.

Women make up 21 percent of the workers on the renovation, according to J.E. Dunn, the principal contractor restoring the Capitol, in contrast with a report by the National Women’s Law Center that  nationally, 2.6 percent of construction workers are women.

In October, women considering careers in construction toured the Capitol and met experienced tradeswomen working there. Jessica Hayssen, Outreach & Special Projects Director for the Minnesota AFL-CIO, accompanied the group and documented their visit in photos.

The AFL-CIO is sponsoring a mentorship project to encourage more women to enter and succeed in Building Trades careers.