1 in 2 women quit construction jobs within 5 years in Quebec
Posted July 3, 2025 4:00 pm.
Last Updated July 3, 2025 4:02 pm.
Despite the efforts of construction industry stakeholders, one in two women quits their job within five years of entering the industry.
The final statistics from the Commission de la construction du Québec on the statistical profile of women in the industry for 2024 confirm that the quit rate for women reaches 52 per cent, five years after entering the industry.
By comparison, the quit rate for men, after five years, reaches 32 per cent.
Even after only one year in the industry, the quit rate for women reaches 21 per cent compared to 13 per cent for men.
The Commission de la construction explains that “quit is defined as an individual who no longer reports any hours of work as an employee to the CCQ, whether in their original trade or another, and regardless of their status (apprentice, journeyman, occupation). The dropout rate is calculated for all new entrants, from each cohort, one and five years after their initial entry into the construction industry.
Female workers who graduate are less likely to drop out than those who enter the industry through other routes. The phenomenon is the same for men.
For industry players, the challenge is therefore not only to attract women, but also to retain them, despite the obstacles they face.
Nevertheless, women are gradually making their way into this industry. There were 7,885 women working in the industry in 2024, representing nearly 4 per cent of the total workforce.
1,594 women entered the industry in 2024, which is more than in 2023, but fewer than in 2021 and 2022.
They mainly hold the positions of painter, carpenter, electrician, and plasterer.
They are fairly evenly distributed across age groups. Thus, 1,331 are under 25, 3,131 are between 25 and 34, 2,051 are between 35 and 44, 919 are between 45 and 54, 420 are between 55 and 64, and 33 are 65 and over.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
