Thought Leadership: Beth Duyvejonck on How Girl Scouts Is Helping to Build Future Construction Professionals

At the 2026 Groundbreaking Women in Construction Conference, held July 14 - 16 in San Diego, Executive Vice President of Construction Beth Duyvejonck joined Girl Scouts River Valleys CEO Marisa Williams to discuss an ongoing challenge facing the construction industry: a lack of women.

While the industry often focuses on recruiting and retaining talent to overcome this challenge, Beth emphasized that workforce development begins much earlier. Long before students are making career decisions, they’re forming perceptions about where they belong and what opportunities are available to them. If construction isn’t visible to girls during those formative years, it’s unlikely to become a career they consider.

Recalling her own youth, Beth shared, “I loved math, problem-solving and figuring out how things fit together. I loved building things, even if I didn’t have the language for it yet. I remember asking my school counselor what I should study in college, what I could be if I wanted to build things, and she said, ‘I can’t help you.’”

Programs like Power Girls, created by Girl Scouts River Valleys, are helping ensure girls have opportunities Beth never did. Through hands-on experiences in construction and the skilled trades, participants gain exposure to career paths they may not have previously known existed. Along the way, they build confidence, strengthen problem-solving skills and discover that they can thrive in an industry that needs their talents and perspectives.

Importantly, Power Girls goes beyond introducing young people to the industry. It helps girls envision themselves as part of it. By working alongside industry professionals in a welcoming environment, participants can ask questions, use tools and solve real challenges. Girls begin to view construction not as someone else's career, but as their own potential future – a future where they belong and where they can succeed.

Power Girls also demonstrates the impact that intentional partnerships can have on the future workforce. Since the Opus Foundation awarded its first grant to Girl Scouts River Valleys in 2022, Beth and several Opus construction associates have volunteered annually at Power Girls, sharing their expertise and experiences with participants. That same year, Beth joined the Girl Scouts River Valleys board, further strengthening the connection between the organizations and their shared belief that early exposure, mentorship and hands-on experiences can help shape the emerging talent.

Beth and Marisa concluded their discussion with a call to action for construction professionals and organizations to engage with youth in their own communities. The partnership between Opus, the Opus Foundation and Girl Scouts River Valleys serves as one example of how industry leaders can help expand awareness, challenge outdated stereotypes and create meaningful opportunities that inspire the next generation of women in construction.

Photo credit: ENR / San Diego Event Photography