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Unorthodox Careers - Germany's Coolest Construction Workers

August 4, 2026

No other sector in Germany employs as few women as the construction industry. The few female construction workers face many challenges—including sexism. This report follows four of them.

https://p.dw.com/p/5GRJG
Two people wearing white safety helmets and work gloves are standing on a construction site in front of concrete elements and talking. Building materials, steel structures, and a construction facility can be seen in the background. The scene highlights modern construction work, teamwork in the building industry, and professional site operations on a sunny day.
Image: SWR

Julia, Frieda, Sally and Anna. Four women who work as bricklayers, carpenters, and construction workers. All four women share a love for their profession—although it can be physically demanding. And all of them have experienced sexism.

A person wearing work clothes, a beanie, and gloves applies plaster to an interior wall of a building under construction. Another person stands nearby observing the work. Visible scaffolding, plastered surfaces, and construction tools emphasize sustainable interior finishing, craftsmanship, and modern building practices.
Image: SWR

How do they stand their ground against the macho men on the building sites? And why are women like them still the exception in this line of work?

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