Wes McRae | Feb 17, 2023 — Atlanta, GA

This month's Construction Matters conversation featured Irish Horsey (Ph.D. Building Construction '21), Director of Industry Advancement at Procore.org, the philanthropic arm of Procore. Horsey's webinar focused on advancing construction education through technology and her experience as a 20-year professional in both construction management and higher education.

Horsey is the first African-American woman to earn a doctorate from the School of Building Construction, where she now serves on the industry advisory board as a representative of Procore.

"The construction industry workforce will advance and develop through the support of educational opportunities and content," Horsey said. "So university professors and students are creating the future of the industry."

Horsey discussed the need to expand access to construction education opportunities to increase diversity, and discussed ways universities could partner with high schools, technical colleges, and other universities to advance construction education.

Education needs to meet the demand for technically-savvy construction students, Horsey said, but also needs to help bring more diverse students into the field. "Diversity is necessary for innovation and provides an advantage to an industry that's looking to attract new workers."

"According to the National Association of Women in Construction, the construction workforce is only 10.9% female. Construction companies need the tools and resources to change their thinking, discover new talent, and create a better company structure," she said. "I believe my impact and my calling is to create more diversity in the construction industry."

Horsey's passion for the built environment was nurtured early in her career by another Georgia Institute of Technology alumni, George Heery (Architecture, '51). "I was at Heery International for about five years until I went to work directly for George Heery," Horsey said. "Some consider Heery the father of construction management and definitely the bridging project delivery method."

"It was a pleasure working under George and I appreciated tutelage that I received from working with him." 

Horsey closed with an invitation to Building Construction students to reach out with questions. "One of my favorite things to do is to offer students advice on careers in industry and how they can grow and develop as construction professionals."