Ofori-Boadu, A., & Ofori-Boadu, V. (2022, August), Is the AEC profession a good fit for me? A Constructivist Grounded Theory on Professional Identity Formation in First-Year Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Women  Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41475

\bibitem{asee_peer_41475}
  Ofori-Boadu, A., \& Ofori-Boadu, V. (2022, August), \emph{Is the AEC profession a good fit for me? A Constructivist Grounded Theory on Professional Identity Formation in First-Year Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Women}
  Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, Minneapolis, MN.
  10.18260/1-2--41475

Andrea Ofori-Boadu and Victor Ofori-Boadu.  "Is the AEC profession a good fit for me? A Constructivist Grounded Theory on Professional Identity Formation in First-Year Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Women".  2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN, 2022, August.  ASEE Conferences, 2022.  https://peer.asee.org/41475 Internet.  03 Dec, 2024

\bibitem{asee_peer_41475}
  Andrea Ofori-Boadu and Victor Ofori-Boadu.
  "Is the AEC profession a good fit for me? A Constructivist Grounded Theory on Professional Identity Formation in First-Year Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Women".
  \emph{2022 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, Minneapolis, MN, 2022, August}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2022.
  https://peer.asee.org/41475 Internet.  03 Dec, 2024

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_41475
author = "Andrea Ofori-Boadu and Victor Ofori-Boadu"
title = "Is the AEC profession a good fit for me? A Constructivist Grounded Theory on Professional Identity Formation in First-Year Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Women"
booktitle = "2022 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition"
year = "2022"
month = "August"
address = "Minneapolis, MN"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/41475}
number = {10.18260/1-2--41475}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -  Is this AEC profession a good fit for me? A Grounded Theory on Sparking Professional Identity Development in First-Year Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Women

Abstract

Women professionals are underrepresented in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. As part of a larger and longitudinal nationwide study that constructs grounded theories to explain professional identity development (PID) processes in undergraduate AEC women, the purpose is to examine the lived experiences of first-year AEC women. Using purposive sampling, 40 AEC women from five institutions completed surveys with open-ended questions about salient first year experiences. Also, resumes and academic transcripts were obtained. Adopting the grounded theory approach and constant comparative analysis, data was analyzed using the NVivo Qualitative Analysis software for coding, categorization, and theme development.

Data analysis reveals a critical question on the minds of first-year AEC women: Is this AEC profession a good fit for me? Utilizing four categories and twelve subcategories, an emerging theory, Sparking AEC-PID Through Agency and Networks, highlights the role of interactions between self and structures in forming AEC-PID and influencing women persistence in undergraduate AEC programs. This theory proposes important predictors of AEC-PID and AEC persistence in women. It captures cognitive, emotional, physical, social, and academic processes that spark AEC-PID in women. Positive interactions between self and AEC program environments strengthen AEC-PID because of improvement in AEC knowledge, views, mindsets, and efforts to explore niches for progression in undergraduate AEC programs and towards AEC professions. However, the lack of gender diversity remains a concern. Also, heavy workloads and unfavorable program conditions cause stress, particularly in Architecture women. These negative interactions weaken AEC-PID because they result in declining views about the AEC profession. Therefore, women persistence in undergraduate AEC programs requires developing the ‘survival’ mentality and spurring the super woman mindset. While medium to strong AEC-PID sustains the desire to persist in many Prevailing women, medium AEC-PID is also associated with lowered desire to persist as a few Hesitant women become open to other careers options. Excessively negative interactions erode AEC-PID and the desire to persist, as one Yielding woman plans her AEC program exit. It is critical that undergraduate AEC women are provided early AEC gateway experiences that assure them that AEC programs and professions are a good fit for them. Insights have theoretical and practical implications towards transformations that will strengthen the attraction, preparation, and retention of the next generation of AEC women. In the long term, this would reduce AEC workforce shortages and foster the innovation of more gender friendly AEC products and services.

AU  - Andrea Ofori-Boadu
AU  - Victor Ofori-Boadu
CY  - Minneapolis, MN
DA  - 2022/08/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Is the AEC profession a good fit for me? A Constructivist Grounded Theory on Professional Identity Formation in First-Year Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Women
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/41475
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--41475
ER  -