Rokooei, S., & Ford, G. D., & Robertson, R. A. (2025, March), A Gender-based Comparative Analysis of Motivations and Challenges in Construction Education  Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Southeast Conference , Mississippi State University, Mississippi. 10.18260/1-2--54135

\bibitem{asee_peer_54135}
  Rokooei, S., \& Ford, G. D., \& Robertson, R. A. (2025, March), \emph{A Gender-based Comparative Analysis of Motivations and Challenges in Construction Education}
  Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Southeast Conference , Mississippi State University, Mississippi.
  10.18260/1-2--54135

Saeed Rokooei, George D Ford P.E., and Read Allen Robertson.  "A Gender-based Comparative Analysis of Motivations and Challenges in Construction Education".  2025 ASEE Southeast Conference , Mississippi State University, Mississippi, 2025, March.  ASEE Conferences, 2025.  https://peer.asee.org/54135 Internet.  24 Apr, 2025

\bibitem{asee_peer_54135}
  Saeed Rokooei, George D Ford P.E., and Read Allen Robertson.
  "A Gender-based Comparative Analysis of Motivations and Challenges in Construction Education".
  \emph{2025 ASEE Southeast Conference , Mississippi State University, Mississippi, 2025, March}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2025.
  https://peer.asee.org/54135 Internet.  24 Apr, 2025

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_54135
author = "Saeed Rokooei, George D Ford P.E., and Read Allen Robertson"
title = "A Gender-based Comparative Analysis of Motivations and Challenges in Construction Education"
booktitle = "2025 ASEE Southeast Conference "
year = "2025"
month = "March"
address = "Mississippi State University, Mississippi"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/54135}
number = {10.18260/1-2--54135}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - The Building Construction Science (BCS) program at Mississippi State University (MSU) has seen a significant rise in student enrollment over the past few years, making it one of the university's fastest-growing majors. This growth is happening while many other programs are finding it hard to keep their student numbers up, which makes it important to understand why students are choosing BCS. By looking at both female and male students, choices and challenges can be learned. This study examines how gender affects students' motivations for joining the BCS program, the obstacles they encounter, their expectations, and their future career plans. Data from all first-year and second-year BCS students were collected using surveys that asked about different parts of their experiences and decisions. The results showed that both male and female students were attracted to the program because of job opportunities and its practical, hands-on nature. However, there were some clear differences between the two groups. Female students were more influenced by their families when deciding to enroll in the program. They also faced more challenges related to social factors and didn't always get accurate advice, compared to male students. These challenges included stereotypes about women's roles in construction, fewer female role models in the industry, and not enough support from academic advisors who might not fully understand their specific concerns. These findings are especially important for colleges and universities in the Southeast that are dealing with enrollment issues. They highlight the need to address gender-specific factors to bring in and keep a diverse group of students in construction majors. By understanding these differences, schools can create better recruitment strategies, offer more support services, and make the learning environment more welcoming for everyone. This can help prevent drops in enrollment and lead to a more diverse and skilled workforce in the construction industry.
AU  - Saeed Rokooei
AU  - George D Ford P.E.
AU  - Read Allen Robertson
CY  - Mississippi State University, Mississippi
DA  - 2025/03/09
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - A Gender-based Comparative Analysis of Motivations and Challenges in Construction Education
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/54135
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--54135
ER  -