Nearly 6,000 union tradeswomen from across the United States and Canada are expected to gather in Houston from Friday, Oct. 9-11, for the 16th annual Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Presented by TradesFutures, with North America's Building Trades Unions serving as host sponsor, Tradeswomen Build Nations is the world's largest annual gathering of women working in the unionized skilled trades. 

Credentialed media are invited to cover the conference's plenary sessions and signature TWBN Banner Parade, when thousands of tradeswomen will march through downtown Houston carrying colorful banners representing building trades unions from across North America. Tradeswomen representing every major construction craft, including apprentices, journeyworkers, instructors, forewomen and union leaders, will be available for interviews. 

This year's theme, "Breaking Barriers, Expanding Horizons," reflects the progress women have made in the skilled trades and the ongoing work to expand access to Registered Apprenticeship, strengthen retention and mentorship, and prepare more women to lead throughout the construction industry.

The conference comes as historic investments in energy production, advanced manufacturing, data centers, semiconductor facilities and critical infrastructure are driving unprecedented demand for highly skilled construction workers. Tradeswomen are playing an increasingly important role in building the projects that will power communities, strengthen North America's economy and shape the future of the construction industry.