WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
KWIC
Connections An employee resource group at Keller North America encourages women to
build their careers at the world’s largest geotechnical specialty contractor
By Lisa Gordon
One idea. Nine women.
Four pillars.
That’s the foundation of
Keller Women in Construction (KWIC), an
affinity group established by employees at
Keller North America to help recruit, retain
and support women in construction careers.
KWIC was initiated by compliance
program manager Joy Oseni, an eightyear
Keller North America employee at
the company’s Hanover, Md., corporate
office. In the spring of 2019, she talked with
several female employees about their career
experiences, discussed roadblocks unique
Keller employees volunteer at a Women in Construction event at Northern Michigan University.
Photo courtesy keller
to women in the construction industry and
considered possible solutions.
“Some expressed that the support
of women at Keller could be improved,”
said Oseni, who is also chair of the KWIC
steering committee. “I went to senior
leadership and proposed starting an affinity
group with the goal of recruiting, retaining
and supporting women. We wanted to
create a safe, comfortable and inclusive
environment where women could see
themselves building a career. Management
was totally on board and viewed this as
valuable employee insight.”
A division of Keller Group plc, Keller
North America is a geotechnical specialty
contractor employing about 4,000 people
at more than 50 offices throughout the U.S.
and Canada. The company is committed
to being a diverse, equitable and inclusive
workplace, so it’s not surprising that an
employee survey indicated support for a
group that would encourage women to join
– and stay – at Keller.
Oseni began building KWIC’s steering
committee, inviting fellow employees to
join her at the table. Today, nine Keller
women contribute their time and talents
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