Almost half of the current workforce in the United States is female. That female workforce is leaving conventional jobs in search of better career path opportunities, flexibility and balance. Although largely male dominated, the electrical industry is starting to see an increase in female employees. 

Kirby Risk is experiencing this influx and doing it with open arms. Since the inception of the Kirby Risk Network of Women (KNOW), an employee resource group for women, the number of female employees has increased. “There is more balance with an increase in women in all departments and roles. The number of female managers has increased,” says John Eggleton, President and Chief Operating O cer of Kirby Risk Corporation. “Bottom line — now it’s the expectation not the exception. Clearly, we are moving in the right direction.” 

Major industry organizations are now hosting yearly conferences specifically for women. At these conferences, women have the opportunity to network with other women in their field, advance their career through educational opportunities, find inspiration and have a little fun. 

HERE ARE THREE TO CHECK OUT: 

1. NAED (National Association of Electrical Distributors) Women in Industry Forum 

1. IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) International Women’s Conference 

1. NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association) Women In NECA & Future Leaders (WINFL) Leadership Conference 

In honor of Women’s History Month in March and International Women’s Day on March 8, here are a few female focused facts: 

• 9.5 percent of National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) members are women-owned businesses. is number has tripled in the past 15-20 years. (From Electrical Contractor Magazine) 

• Edith Clarke was the first U.S. woman to be employed as an electrical engineer. She was also the first female professor of electrical engineering in the U.S. Her other firsts include: first woman to deliver a paper at the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, first female engineer whose professional standing was recognized by Tau Beta Pi and first woman named as a Fellow of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. (From All About Circuits) 

• Educated women have overtaken men and account for more than half (50.7%) of the college-educated labor force in the U.S. (From Pew Research Center)