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MAWE represents an historic partnership between carpenters, operating engineers, building trades, pre-apprenticeship programs and community-based organizations, and has its roots in early efforts to increase workforce diversity in Portland.

In 2017, MAWE worked with the city of Portland to establish Community Benefit Agreements and pilot them on two projects.

鈥淪uccessful pilot projects with the city of Portland and the Portland Water Bureau achieved record participation and provided technical support to over 20 minority and women contractors to upgrade their estimating systems,鈥� said Faye Burch, owner of F M Burch and Associates.

Burch noted that Professional Business Development Group nominated MAWE for recognition because the organization speaks up for equity opportunities for minority and women participation on construction projects both as subcontractors and in workforce apprenticeship.

Kelly Haines, senior project manager for Worksystems, coordinates MAWE and said the CBAs continue to improve equity through projects such as the Multnomah County Courthouse and the Gladys McCoy Health Department headquarters.

鈥淭hose projects we found to be very successful, not just around COBID firms but also in terms of workforce diversity,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e really want to make sure there is retention of women and minorities throughout the projects and at the journey level.鈥�

MAWE is partnering with the Portland Harbor Community Coalition and the Healthy Communities Coalition to support other CBA efforts in the harbor cleanup and the Broadway Corridor. It also is working with Metro by providing input and direction on the Construction Career Pathways Project (C2P2) initiative.

鈥淲e see that as a really great possibility at the regional level because C2P2 is standardizing diversity goals across the region,鈥� Haines said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a big win, and even though it鈥檚 a first step, the agencies that sign on are the biggest builders and will be leaders in helping to set the standard.鈥�

Haines co-chaired the recently published Minority Contractor Participation Equity Committee report to further identify ways to improve opportunities for minority- and women-owned subcontractors. MAWE also supports the work of BOLI-certified, pre-apprenticeship programs for minorities, women and low-income residents through grant funding that will train nearly 300 workers for a career in the trades.