Broads Who Build: Women Flood Collin College Construction Management Program

It’s steadily becoming a woman’s world in the Construction Management program at Collin College. 

In just four years since Craig Johnson brought his real-world education to the Allen campus of Collin College, the construction program has grown leaps and bounds. This year’s freshman class is 22 percent female — twice the 11 percent national rate of women in the construction workforce, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor. 

“There’s an overall awareness that women can and should be doing every job that’s out there,” said Johnson, director of architecture and construction programs at Collin College. “The construction industry is now deliberately seeking females because they are truly valued. Traditionally, they have a great eye for detail and are better communicators. Those are two things that are very important.” 

Bonus Points for Affordability

The program has already gained some high-profile fans. 

Jennifer Clarke Johnson (no relation to Craig Johnson), founder and president of Plano-based homebuilding company Olivia Clarke Homes, said it takes tremendous inner confidence and fortitude to succeed in an industry where one is a minority. 

“I’m thrilled that Collin College has made education in the construction management field accessible and affordable for more people, especially the female workforce,” she said. “If women can arrive on the construction job site with classroom knowledge under their belts, they’re more likely to have the tools and confidence to be successful. Looking back, I wish construction management would have been accessible and available to me, as I would have arrived on the job with at least an even playing field of knowledge. Thankfully, I had many mentors who invested in my on-the-job education. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

In addition to welcoming and actively recruiting women, the program’s affordability also makes it attractive to new students. 

Collin College has the lowest tuition in Texas, offering a four-year bachelor’s degree in construction management for $15,000. 

“We’re in the mecca of construction for the whole country,” Craig Johnson said. “We have a required co-op as part of our program. Most do their internship in the summer between year one and year two. A lot of students convert their internships into full-time employment. There are a lot of jobs here, and you can complete your degree at night.” 

Building The Future

The construction management program at Collin College is a “two plus two,” where students earn an associate’s degree after their first two years and can continue on to pursue a bachelor’s degree — an option that just started this semester. Students from all over the country are transferring to the local program, which currently has 215 students in the two-year program. 

Craig Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture and a master’s in land development at Texas A&M University. He was self-employed and ran his own business for more than 20 years, and then a full-time teacher and coach in the K-12 environment. He started teaching at the college level part–time in 2008 and helped launch Collin’s program a decade later. 

“Our program has a lot of hands-on opportunities,” he said. “We teach hand tools and power tools. Our students get to do some actual construction techniques. The importance of the classroom element is understanding the importance of business and communication in our industry. That’s what our business partners are looking for: communication. It’s a continual learning process. We need to teach students to be effective communicators. They’ll go get trained on the job by their employers. We want them to understand how to work with people. We have a huge emphasis on soft skills.” 

Numbers Game

Johnson said he’s trying to raise awareness about the program and recruit even more females to build on the year-over-year increase from about 15 percent to 22 percent. 

“We have a great program for a great value,” he said. 

Phil Crone, executive officer of the Dallas Builders Association, recognizes the importance of investing in future builders and encouraging females to come on board. The DBA recently donated $8,000 to Collin College’s Excellence Fund. 

“These women will soon be supervising job sites around the Metroplex for some of the largest residential and commercial construction operators,” Crone said. “Kudos to Craig Johnson and his team for helping pave the way to a bright future for our industry.”

In the four years since the program launched, there have been several success stories, Johnson said. 

“We’re getting good feedback from the students and most importantly, from the industry,” he said. “Our students are going into residential and commercial [construction]. Some are on the civil side with roads and bridges. Some are doing things on the office side. We had a 75 percent increase in enrollment this year because we started the bachelor’s degree. We anticipate continued growth. We’re looking at offering it at other campuses. They’re having a lot of success. It’s not just about numbers.”