Flintco Forward: The Challenges and Advantages of Being a Woman in Construction

Bhavna Nim, Sarah Nario, and Alex Janota are just three of Flintco’s many female professionals succeeding in the heavily male-dominated construction industry.

On this episode of the Flintco Forward podcast, host Shelby Skrhak sat down with these three successful women to discuss their different pathways to a career in construction and offer advice for the next generation in the industry.

A mere 9% of the construction industry is comprised of women, and only 3% are employed in hands-on production roles as opposed to administration, human resources and marketing roles that make up the bulk of jobs in construction.

Though they’ve found a home at Flintco, which has been a repeat winner of Constructech magazine’s “Women in Construction” awards, Nim, Nario, and Janota will tell you they’ve faced plenty of obstacles getting to where they are now.

Family members told Janota, a project manager at Flintco and Vice President of the Austin chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction, to consider choosing “something a little more feminine like nursing or teaching,” she said.

Nim, virtual design and construction manager for Flintco, said she’s also experienced these types of microaggressions. “But I wasn’t going to be dissuaded,” Nim said.

Nario, a senior estimator at Flintco, has found at least one surprising advantage to being a woman in the male-dominant construction industry.

“I think my presence actually keeps people in check with regards to their attitudes and behavior,” she said.

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Engineering & Construction Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Trades
HVAC Safety Reform with Fallon Dyle: Rethinking Chemical Practices and Tackling Hidden Health Hazards in the Field
December 9, 2025

As HVAC systems evolve and health concerns take center stage, the industry is being forced to reckon with more than just performance specs. A growing threat from resilient biofilms, coupled with widespread misinformation about chemical cleaners like bleach, is pushing technicians and manufacturers to reexamine how they approach safety and maintenance. Reports have emerged…

Read More
creative
How an Underdog Mindset, Creative Discipline, and People-First Leadership Helped Cecil Cross Build Lasting Professional Equity
December 9, 2025

More and more, the creative journey looks less like a straight line and more like a series of pivots, setbacks, and surprising new opportunities. As layoffs, industry shifts, and unpredictable career turns reshape what a “typical” creative path looks like, many professionals are being pushed to turn uncertainty into momentum. Many are asking how to…

Read More
The Hidden Roadblocks to Smarter Hospitals
The Hidden Roadblocks to Smarter Hospitals
December 9, 2025

As hospitals look to improve outcomes with faster, more informed decisions, infrastructure limitations remain a major hurdle. This episode—part two of a five-part Health and Life Sciences at the Edge series exploring The Future of Patient Monitoring—dives into what’s holding back smarter, more connected care. Intel’s Andrew Lamkin, AI Solutions Architect, and Bikram Day,…

Read More
Rize Education
The Program Sharing Model: How Rize Education’s Collaborative Approach Expands Access to Cutting-Edge Majors and Career-Aligned Learning
December 8, 2025

Small private colleges are facing unprecedented pressures: rising instructional costs, shrinking budgets, and mounting skepticism about the return on investment of a four-year degree. At the same time, employer demand for job-ready talent is accelerating, creating urgency for institutions to modernize curriculum and increase access to experiential learning. According to Rize Education CEO Kevin…

Read More